The incident of the Senegalese players leaving the field in the final match against Morocco continues to raise controversy and stir the pens of the press. It also brought to mind a similar incident that occurred with the Argentine star Lionel Messi. The final match between Morocco and Senegal witnessed the exit of the “Lions of Teranga” in protest against “arbitral injustice,” which created a scene of tension and controversy in the final minutes of the match.
And this is what happened with the magician Messi, explains the RMC Sport website, on November 21, 2023, after he threatened not to play Argentina’s match against Brazil in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers due to acts of violence committed by the police against the fans of his country’s national team in the stands. At the moment the Argentines left the field after performing the national anthem, Messi clearly announced: “We will not play, we are leaving!”, before the team returned after the situation in the stands calmed down, and the start of the match was delayed by about 30 minutes.
In his clarification later, Messi explained that the goal of this step was to protect the fans, especially since some players had their families among the fans: “It was more important to know the safety of our loved ones and the fans, more than focusing on the match, which had become secondary at that time.” He added in a post on his Instagram account, criticizing the violence in the stands: “It was a great victory at the Maracanã, but it will remain linked to the suppression of Argentine fans in Brazil, and this cannot be tolerated.”
On the other hand, FIFA fined Argentina a fine of 20,000 Swiss francs for acts of “indiscipline” committed by its fans, while Messi and his teammates were absolved of any responsibility for leaving the field before the start of the match. In a different context, any disciplinary measures regarding the exit of Senegal players from the field during the 2025 Cannes final will be taken by the Confederation of African Football according to its own system, away from FIFA’s interference.
These events, whether in Senegal or Argentina, highlight the role of players in defending their fans and expressing their protest against what they see as refereeing injustice or violence outside the control of stadiums, which reflects the ability of sport to fuse with human values and the responsibility of players outside the boundaries of artistic competition.
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