Ref Explains Favoring Lionel Messi with Mid-Game Deal to Avoid Him a Ban: Favoritism Trumps Rules

Lionel Messi's extraordinary on-field performance has confirmed his ranking as among the best players in the history of football. Critics counter that he has been given excessive favouritism, therefore assuming the deliberately chosen face of football. Notwithstanding this debate, Messi's skill is unquestionable and will always affect the game and its supporters all around.

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Referee reveals how he favoured Lionel Messi and didn’t book him in the Copa America semifinal 2007

In 2007, Lionel Messi was on the verge of missing the Copa America final versus Brazil owing to a yellow card he acquired throughout the competition. The referee, Carlos Chandia, chose to step in. He said he decided to ignore Messi's violation so the gifted striker may participate in the crucial game, but in exchange he asked for Messi's match-worn shirt.

Thanks for goals from Gabriel Heinze, Messi, and Juan Roman Riquelme Argentina defeated Mexico 3-0 in the quarterfinal. But Messi's campaign almost ended early when he made a careless handball, which should have resulted in yellow card accumulation. Chandia seized the chance to bargain for the sought-after jersey, therefore assuring Messi could play in the long awaited game and avoid missing the final. Talking on the ESPN FShow, the former referee made a big revelation: 

"Out of nowhere, Messi lifts a ball and touches it with his hand, but in the middle of the pitch. There was no goal-scoring chance for the Mexican team or anything like that. So, I told him: 'This is a yellow card, but it will cost you your jersey,' and I didn’t show him the yellow card.

"There were two-and-a-half minutes left, and the score was 3-0. Showing him a yellow card would would have taken away his chance of playing in the Copa America final." 

Additionally, Chandia said that his unfair decision to let Lionel Messi play despite being deserving for suspension eventually had an impact on his selection for the Copa America final match. On the other hand, accepting the alleged unethical practice Messi nonetheless respected their deal and handed Chandia his match-worn shirt after the game. He added: 

“He gave me the shirt in the dressing room afterwards. In fact, he wanted to take it off on the pitch and I told him: 'No, no, no, no; take it to the dressing room'. And he came to the dressing room with the jersey and left it there for me.”

Chandia told me in 2020 that his kid now has the garment. He also revealed understanding of the reasons he was not selected to referee the championship event. Speaking with TNT Chile, he said:

“I don’t remember the number, but I remember the smell. Not the best. My son has it now, he keeps it. The truth is that I think that because I didn’t give him the yellow card, Brazilians ended up saying something and that’s why I wasn’t the main referee of the Copa America final.”

Though Messi took part in the 2007 Copa America final, Argentina did not win that game. Just four minutes in, Brazil led early, Julio Baptista hitting a wonderfully curved drive from inside the area. Roberto Ayala unintentionally scored an own goal soon before halftime, misjudging a sliding interception of a cross and letting the ball slip past custodian Roberto Abbondanzieri, further aggravating the position for Argentina.

Dani Alves surged through the defence and scored with a perfect right-footed volley in the 69th minute, thereby essentially sealing the victory for Brazil at 3-0. Thanks to a goal from Angel Di Maria in the 22nd minute, Messi at last secured his first Copa America championship with Argentina, beating Brazil 1-0 at the Estádio do Maracanã. 2021.