Finally, the big sword came over Messi. Argentine star footballer Lionel Messi has been banned for three months in an international match after he was criticized for corruption charges against the South American Football Confederation. He will not be able to play any international matches for Argentina during this period. In addition to the blanket ban, the BBC also fined the Barcelona forward $ 5,000. The New York Times reported that Constable has taken action to show the cause of the breach.
Messi was severely criticized by the referee and constable after losing to the hosts in the Copa America semifinal in Brazil and the third-place match against Chile. He later apologized for it. Constable has given Messi and the Argentine Football Association seven days to appeal the penalty decision.
Messi will not be able to play Argentina's friendly match with Chile, Mexico, and Germany in the next three months if the ban is lifted. Argentina will face Chile on September 7 in Los Angeles. Five days later, they will play another friendly match with Mexico in San Antonio. The match against Germany will be held on October 5 in Dortmund.
Messi was banned from playing for Gary Medel in the first half of the Copa America's third-place match against Chile last month before showing 'controversially' a red card. As a result, he will not be able to play the first match of the South American region in the Qatar World Cup in March next year. Messi did not go to the awards ceremony to take the medal after Argentina won 2-1 in the third-place match. He later remarked that the organizers and referees had 'committed corruption' to Brazil.
When asked if he feared an additional ban for harsh comments, the 42-year-old footballer said, "It really needs to be said." Earlier, Claudio Tapia, the head of the Argentine Football Association, was removed from his delegation at Conable FIFA. Tapia also strongly criticized Constable during his move to Copa America in Brazil.
