Lionel Messi has hit back at suggestions of FIFA showing favouritism towards Argentina after their World Cup semi-final win over England.
In an ill-tempered semi-final in Atlanta, England took the lead through Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute but a late second-half collapse from Thomas Tuchel’s side led to Enzo Fernandez’s equaliser before Lautaro Martinez headed sealed Argentina’s 2-1 victory in the second minute of injury time.
Argentina will now play Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday, while England will meet France in the third-placed playoff on Saturday.
Messi and Argentina have both been accused of receiving favourable decisions from referees throughout the World Cup, with Egypt filing a complaint to FIFA over the officiating in their 3-2 defeat to the World Cup holders in the last-16 stage.
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Switzerland also described the refereeing as ‘one-sided’ and ‘baffling’ in their 3-1 defeat to Argentina in the quarter-final.
However, Messi is adamant that Argentina have not received any favourable decisions on their way to reaching their second successive World Cup final.
‘Let people keep enjoying it,’ Messi said after Argentina’s win over England.
‘What this group has achieved is incredible – another final, we’ve come back to be world champions, we’re the best in the world after these four years, whether people like it or not, and no matter what they say.
‘This proves that what we did wasn’t by chance and that nobody gave us anything. Reaching two World Cup finals is something few achieve, and this group did it.
‘This group doesn’t surprise me. I know and we knew what we were capable of. People out there had doubts, but when this group comes together and is united, it finds what it doesn’t have to give its all.’
Messi also insists that Argentina’s players were confident they could outplay England in their semi-final.
‘We are proud and happy to be able to give this to the people, we know that the World Cups are special for us,’ Messi said.
‘We forget all the bad things we have to go through, there are people who have a hard time, who don’t have a job, who don’t make ends meet, it’s our life, what we’ve always had to deal with, it’s beautiful to be able to give this joy to them.
‘We Argentinians always demand more. If we had lost to England today, there would have been people saying stupid things, and we didn’t give them the chance… we knew that we were better than them at football, but it’s still special because of everything it means.’
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