Revealed: Lionel Messi struck mid-game referee deal to avoid major final ban – with Argentina superstar’s shirt worth more to match official than following the rules

Rather than hand out a yellow card, match official Carlos Chandia has revealed how he reached an agreement with Messi that stood to benefit all parties. He has told ESPN FShow: “Out of nowhere, Messi lifts a ball and touches it with his hand, but in the middle of the pitch. There was no goal-scoring chance for the Mexican team or anything like that. So, I told him: ‘This is a yellow card, but it will cost you your jersey,’ and I didn’t show him the yellow card. There were two-and-a-half minutes left, and the score was 3-0. Showing him a yellow card would would have taken away his chance of playing in the Copa America final.”

• Getty

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Messi honoured his promise behind the scenes afterwards, with Chandia adding on clearing the path for a future all-time great to line up against arch-rivals Brazil in an eagerly-anticipated final: “He gave me the shirt in the dressing room afterwards. In fact, he wanted to take it off on the pitch and I told him: ‘No, no, no, no; take it to the dressing room’. And he came to the dressing room with the jersey and left it there for me.”

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Chandia admitted back in 2020 that he is no longer in possession of the famous jersey, telling TNT Chile of why his agreement cost him a shot at refereeing a showpiece event in South America: “I don’t remember the number, but I remember the smell. Not the best. My son has it now, he keeps it. The truth is that I think that because I didn’t give him the yellow card, Brazilians ended up saying something and that’s why I wasn’t the main referee of the Copa America final.”

• • Getty

    WHAT NEXT?

    While Messi went on to grace the 2007 Copa America, said outing proved to be one to forget. Brazil ran out comfortable 3-0 winners on the day, with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi having to wait until the 2021 Copa before finally getting his hands on major silverware at senior international level.