La Pulga, the Goat, the little genius. Over the almost 2 decades that span Lionel Messi’s momentous playing career, he’s acquired many names and developed a reputation as a calm and patient player. As such, it wouldn’t be surprising if you’d thought Messi had never been sent off before. But, despite his usually affable on-the-pitch demeanour, it may surprise you to learn that Messi has indeed been sent off… on 3 separate occasions.
Lionel Messi has received 3 red cards throughout his professional career. His first came was a nightmare scenario. As Messi made his debut for Argentina, aged just 18, he’d come off the bench in a friendly vs Hungary, quickly making the worst start to an international career imaginable. The second in June 2019, would again come while playing for Argentina, this time in the Copa America. The third came in January 2021 while playing for Barcelona.
These red cards were out of character for a player who has relatively very few misdemeanours to his name and is seldom shown a yellow card when he plays.
Two of these red cards would prove to be very controversial, with many fans and pundits alike of the opinion he didn’t deserve either of them.
Messi’s 1st Red Card
Messi’s received his first Red card very early in his career, on his debut for Argentina.
On August 15, 2005, Argentina played Hungary in Budapest in an international friendly.
An 18-year-old Messi had been named on the bench, with much of the footballing world already enamoured by his spectacular talent. With many expecting the 18 year old to win his first cap for his country, fans were all excited to see a player already being touted as the next Maradona in an Argentina shirt.
On the 64th minute mark, fans would get their wish, as the wonder kid replaced striker Lisandro Lopez on the 64th-minute mark.
Expectations were high as Messi was already considered more than just an emerging talent, the Argentine already establishing himself as a first-team regular for Barcelona. People were desperately eager to see how he would play at such a young age for his country.
As I’m sure you can guess, this debut would start and end in utter catastrophe. Within less than two minutes of being on the field, Messi was dismissed.
But how? Messi is not the type to go in for a 2 legged, Jaap Stam horror tackle. After being pulled back by a Hungary player in a promising position, leading to a free-kick, the ref would send Messi off, despite the initial foul going the way of Argentina.
Why? The referee made this bold call after he had judged Messi to have lashed out at the Hungary player, with the young star-striking his assailant in the face. Messi would deny this was his intention, and looking at the footage, it seems Messi was simply trying to jostle back with the Hungary player, and wouldn’t have done so had the Hungary player not been fouling him.
With Messi simply trying to break free from the Hungary player’s grip, the future 7-time Ballon d’Or winner would be punished for wanting to keep playing for the ball, instead of going down at the first opportunity.
It was certainly a harsh decision and one that would destroy the international debut of one of football’s best-ever players.
Messi’s 2nd Red Card
14 years later Messi was shown a red card for the second time in his career again while wearing an Argentina shirt, but this time in a much more competitive environment.
Argentina and Chile were involved in a fiery third-place playoff game at the end of the Copa America.
Argentina was already 2 goals up against Chile, but despite the score line, and the fact this was just a 3rd place playoff game, tempers boiled over. In the 37th minute, Chilean veteran Gary Medel felt Messi had deliberately pushed him in the back as he was running for the ball.
In response to this, Medel forcibly moved his body towards Messi making contact mostly with his chest and head. In response to this Messi stood his ground in a manner typically seen in football, in which two players bring their heads together in a heated exchange.
It’s been seen time after time, usually warranting a yellow for both players, or a talking to, but in this scenario, the ref decided to send both of them off, even after reviewing VAR footage. It was wildly controversial, especially with Medel the instigator of the event.
Messi can certainly be accused of an element of wrongdoing, but for him to receive the same punishment as Medel, who was the aggressor seems hugely unfair. Messi did not seem to do anything overly aggressive that clearly warranted a red card. Messi was absolutely the victim in the scenario, and Medel got exactly what he wanted in exchange for his own expulsion from the game, the ref played right into the Chilean hard man’s hands.
In spite of the nature of the decision, Messi was issued a $1500 fine and a one-game suspension. Chump change to a superstar like Messi, and with this match the final match of that years Copa America, the punishment wouldn’t end up mattering all that much, but for the world to be denied 53 minutes of potential Messi magic is a punishment that we all have to suffer.
Messi’s 3rd Red Card
With a club career spanning 577 senior games as of June 2023, Messi has only been sent off once. It came in his final season at Barcelona during the Spanish Super Cup Final. Deep into extra time, as the clock ticked over to the 120th minute, Barcelona were on the attack trailing by a goal, with Messi on the ball. Playing it out wide to a teammate, Messi attempted to slip by his man for a give-and-go, flailing his arms in an attempt to quickly change direction and squeeze past his marker. His loose arm caught Villabre, the man currently covering Messi, sending the midfielder down.
On first viewing, this one looks more deliberate, but those familiar with Messi’s trademark movement will have seen this exact arm motion time after time as it allows for quick changes in direction and helps the diminutive Messi slalom around players both on and off the ball.
Whilst not intentional, Messi did strike the player in the face, and after viewing VAR footage, the ref had no choice but to dismiss Barcelona’s talisman. It was unfortunate, and some referees might not have given a red, but it was a foul, and out of his 3 sending-offs, the least controversial.
With Barcelona behind, their last chance stymied, Bilbao would go on to take the trophy, though Messi’s sending-off would end up being a footnote in the overall story of the match.
