He almost frustrated Messi's great dream, now he would take a lot of power in Europe

Lionel Scaloni has already earned an important place in the history of the Argentine National Team. With the titles won between 2021 and 2022, the native of Pujato obtained 3 titles at the head of the albiceleste. The Copa América ended a streak of 28 years without titles in the senior team. Then, in 2022 came the most glorious, which was the Finalissima against Italy at Wembley and, mainly, the World Cup in Qatar, with the historic final on December 18.

That consecration at the Lusail Stadium in Doha will remain in the memory of 46 million souls who celebrated a historic title. However, before beating France in the penalty shootout, the Argentine National Team had to overcome difficult obstacles, although the most difficult of them was the quarterfinals against the Netherlands. There the Albiceleste was dominating the match and winning 2-0 with goals from Nahuel Molina and Lionel Messi from penalties. Wout Weghorst's double extended the game into overtime and then into penalties, where Emiliano Martínez was instrumental in saving 2 definitions.

That match had the particularity that it was the match with the most yellow cards in the history of the World Cup. Antonio Mateu Lahoz received many questions for his management of the match, which generated a lot of criticism from Messi after the match. Recently, the retired referee revealed that he had a communication with the captain of Argentina. “Leo Messi called me after the Netherlands game in the World Cup and apologized for the harsh words he said to me during the game. He was a different Messi in that game,” he revealed on Tiempo de Juego, a program on the COPE network.

The future of Mateu Lahoz

The retired Spanish referee can now take a lot of preponderance in the Royal Spanish Football Federation. Antonio Mateu Lahoz is the consensus candidate to take over the presidency of the entity that regulates football in the Iberian country. According to Diario Marca, the man born in Algimia de Alfara, Valencia, is the person who has the best chance of succeeding Luis Rubiales, who had to resign after the scandal involving his kiss with soccer player Jennifer Hermoso.