Algeria Files Complaint with FIFA over 'Refereeing Injustice'

Algeria have lodged a complaint with FIFA over “refereeing injustice” in their opening World Cup loss to Argentina, particularly a tackle by Lionel Messi.

“The complaint primarily concerns Messi’s challenge, which deserved a red card, in everyone’s opinion,” said the federation source.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who had already given reigning world champions Argentina the lead, went on to score a hat-trick. And the tackle that sparked the controversy came on the 30th minute when Messi caught Algeria defender Aissa Mandi on the calf with a studs-up challenge from behind. But VAR did not intervene despite the clear nature of the foul, leaving Algeria feeling that they were on the wrong end of a refereeing injustice. Messi’s treble saw him tie former Germany striker Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals.

Algeria are hoping to reach the World Cup knockout phase for only the second time, following an extra-time loss to eventual winners Germany in the last 16 in 2014. And their second match in the ongoing tournament will be a crucial one as they face Jordan on Monday before completing their Group J campaign against Austria on Saturday, June 27. Messi’s impressive display has put Argentina on top of Group J with three points while Algeria remain at the bottom of the group with no points.

The controversy surrounding Messi's tackle has sparked debate over the refereeing standards during the ongoing World Cup. Algeria hope that their complaint will lead to a review of the refereeing decisions during their match and potentially lead to disciplinary action against the referee.

The World Cup has been marred by controversies surrounding refereeing decisions, with several big teams already voicing their dissatisfaction with the referees. The tournament has seen several high-profile refereeing errors, with many calling for an overhaul of the refereeing system. Aissa Mandi, the Algerian defender who was tackled by Messi, has been praised for his performance despite the controversy surrounding the match. The World Cup is being held in several countries around the world, with 32 teams participating in the tournament. The tournament has seen several big-name teams participating, including Argentina, Brazil, Spain, and Germany.