Sport
Alexi Lalas Says Messi Was Wrong to Argue with Referee After Inter Miami Game
Former US international Alexi Lalas has spoken out against Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi after the Argentine’s heated confrontation with referee Tim Ford in their recent 3-3 draw against the San Jose Earthquakes. The incident happened late in the match at PayPal Stadium when Messi made a sharp run in the 93rd minute and seemed to be fouled just outside the penalty area following a sliding tackle by Daniel Munie. Messi quickly demanded a free kick, but the referee waved play on.
After the game, Messi was visibly upset and confronted Ford over his decisions. The situation escalated to the point where San Jose’s coach Bruce Arena had to step in and hold Messi back, as Ford reportedly threatened to show a red card. Lalas wasn’t impressed with Messi’s behavior. On his State of the Union podcast, he said he thought Arena handled the situation well and called Messi’s actions “a bad look.”
He praised the referee for standing firm and not giving Messi special treatment, saying the official repeatedly told Messi to get up and continue, regardless of his star status. Messi, who joined Inter Miami a few years ago after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, has been known for his incredible skills on the field, but this episode shows even the greatest can clash with referees.
Ghanaian Referee, Daniel Laryea, who officiated the Nigeria vs Morocco game in AFCON gets interviews and shared his experience.
The referee reveals how it was his first time in a semi final and was kind of nervous. “I’ve been to three AFCON tournaments, but this is the first time I’ve been in a semi-final.”
“So when coaches choose you for that game, they know your skills and what you can do. But of course, you feel a little nervous because of the level of the match.”
Nigerian Footballer, Bright Osayi-Samuel , react to match as Super Eagles lose to Morocco.
The player calls out CAF for their referee appointment. He shares how the Ghanaian Referee was tough on the field and made bad choices.
“One thing I would say is that the referee was really bad. I’m not saying that was the reason we lost. He is making really bad choices and it’s really tough to watch because we have referees like this in big games like today.
He then praises Morocco for a good game “But Morocco did really well.”
Super Eagles Coach, Eric Chelle speaks and shared why Nigeria lost the AFCON match to Morocco.
It can be noted that the match was held on the 14th of January, 2026. Nigeria lost the match with a draft in the penalties, 4-2.
During a recent interview, Chelle shared his observations about the match and shared why they lost.
“From a technical point of view, the Super Eagles weren’t at the same level as we displayed in our other matches.”
“I don’t want to say the reason was fatigue, but the truth is that we lacked movement and power.”
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