Red card for a foul on Messi? Controversial snapshot sparks uproar during semifinal
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
A single freeze-frame nearly turned a routine on-field clash into a full-blown refereeing scandal.
Details: Social media exploded with a photo from the World Cup semifinal between England and Argentina. The image shows Elliot Anderson’s boot high up near Lionel Messi’s knee, making the incident look like a clear red card offense for the Englishman.
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However, Archivo VAR clarified that a single image doesn't tell the whole story. Anderson was the first to play the ball, and only then, due to momentum, made contact with the Argentine star, who had moved into the English midfielder’s path.
According to the source, there were no grounds for a straight red card in this situation. In fact, experts believe Anderson’s actions did not even constitute a foul.
The episode became another flashpoint in the tense England vs Argentina showdown, where players were already at odds within the opening minutes.
Reminder: Only three minutes played. Tempers flare early in Argentina vs England clash.
