Football
Top three controversial moments of Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the greatest of all time, continues to amaze fans worldwide with his seemingly limitless talents.
Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the greatest of all time, continues to amaze fans worldwide with his seemingly limitless talents. It has earned him numerous awards, including a record eight Ballon d’Or. The PSG star’s technically excellent skills and calm demeanour have turned him into a defender’s worst nightmare. A club and country record of 790 goals and numerous major honours have all come his way.
However, that doesn’t mean the humble and down-to-earth Argentine isn’t susceptible to a little drama. Here are the top three most contentious Messi moments from his career.
#3 
Lionel Messi (Source: Twitter)
When Jose Mourinho and Lionel Messi are put together, something juicy usually comes out of the bag. And their first meeting occurred in a Champions League match between Chelsea and Barcelona in 2006. Messi was blamed for Asier del Horno’s dismissal just eight minutes before halftime, according to the then-Blues manager.
“How do you say cheating in Catalan?” Mourinho asked reporters. “Can Messi be suspended for acting? “Barcelona is a cultural city with many great theatres and this boy has learned very well. He’s learned play-acting.”
#2 
Lionel Messi (Source: Twitter)
The Argentine struggled at the Rosaleda Stadium, where Malaga players meticulously man-marked him in torrential rain. He encountered Duda several times before finally snapping near the end. It all happened in a La Liga game in 2008.
Messi spat in the direction of Duda as the Malaga player walked away after a collision. Naturally, this caused quite a stir in Spain, prompting then-Barcelona coach Guardiola to condemn his star player. “It is not right that these sorts of things can happen,” said Guardiola.
#3 Messi accused CONMEBOL of corruption after red card
Lionel Messi (Source: Twitter)
During the 2018 Copa America, the former Barcelona player got into an argument with Chile captain Gary Medal. It happened after the ball was kicked behind for a goal. Things got heated between the two before the referee dismissed them.
Messi then stunned reporters by openly accusing CONMEBOL, the South American football governing body, of corruption. Apparently, the entire Copa America was set-up for hosts Brazil to win. 
“We shouldn’t have to be part of this disrespect we suffered during the Copa America. We could have gone further but we weren’t allowed into the final. Corruption, referees and all the rest stopped people from enjoying the football.”
