New Delhi, July 12 -- Argentina captain Lionel Messi got into a heated argument with referee Joao Pinheiro during his team's FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Switzerland in Kansas City on Saturday. The incident happened during the first half of the game when Switzerland were about to take a free-kick.

Lionel Messi, who was standing in Argentina's defensive wall, was unhappy when Pinheiro urged him to step back the distance that was needed. However, the Inter Miami star replied furiously to the referee, reportedly stating: "Speak to me properly. Don't disrespect me. Speak to me properly. I spoke to you properly."

Messi's confrontation with the referee, though, hardly had any impact on the game as Argentina went onto win the matc...