Bijzondere footage shows Messi demand: 'Behandel me niet respectloos!'

Vandaag, special footage captured Lionel Messi furious at Portuguese referee João Pinheiro during the quarter‑final. The Argentine superstar shouted, "Behandel me niet respectloos!", demanding the official treat him with respect.

The incident unfolded during a Swiss free‑kick, where the Portuguese official marked the ball spot with his spray. Messi, the Argentijnse player, reacted angrily as Pinheiro approached, apparently referencing an earlier episode.

Lipreaders examined the clip and confirmed Messi’s words: "Praat normaal tegen me, behandel me niet respectloos. Praat normaal tegen me, want ik heb ook normaal tegen jou gesproken." The quote highlights his displeasure with the tone used by the referee.

Argentina struggled to overcome Zwitserland, with an opening goal from Alexis Mac Allister. Dan Ndoye equalised for the Zwitsers just before the 70th minute, keeping the match tight.

Soon after, the Zwitsers were reduced to ten men when Breel Embolo received a red card. The Portuguese referee’s decisions continued to dominate the narrative of the game.

In extra time, Argentina finally broke the deadlock through Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez, securing victory for Argentinië.

De incident has sparked debate among fans and officials, and further analysis of the footage is expected to determine any disciplinary action.