Pierluigi Collina slams fans using Messi controversy to chase online clicks
FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina has defended the decision not to send off Lionel Messi while endorsing Folarin Balogun’s red card, accusing fans of creating a false narrative for social media engagement.
FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina has strongly dismissed public comparisons between recent World Cup tackles involving Lionel Messi and Folarin Balogun.
Collina clarified that Messi’s challenge lacked excessive force or extended contact, making a red card unwarranted.
Conversely, he deemed Balogun’s tackle highly dangerous due to the severe twisting of the opponent’s ankle, stating it fully merited a straight sending-off.
The legendary officiating chief expressed frustration with modern social media culture, accusing football supporters of deliberately conflating the two separate incidents.
Collina asserted that many fans lack a fundamental understanding of refereeing nuances under the Laws of the Game. He concluded that critics are simply leveraging Messi’s high-profile name to generate cheap online clicks and engagement.
