India, June 20 -- Controversies surrounding Lionel Messi have intensified, with the Algeria national football team filing a formal complaint over alleged poor refereeing in their FIFA World Cup opener against Argentina. With Messi leading from the front with a hat-trick, the defending champion grabbed a dominant victory. However, controversies erupted over a moment where Messi tackled Algerian defender Aissa Mandi from behind, stepping on his calf. While the Argentine captain escaped unpunished, many felt it was a red card offence, which the referee allegedly overlooked.

Algeria also expressed their discontent over the decision and now, they are reportedly set to take on a legal route. They are said to have filed a formal complaint with ...