Thierry Henry defends Messi after foul on Mandi: "He didn't deserve a red card"
Thierry Henry gave his opinion on Messi's foul in Mandi, arguing that the Argentine should not have been sent off.
Former French national team striker Thierry Henry spoke out about Lionel Messi's foul on Aissa Mandi, stating that the play did not deserve a red card. The incident occurred in the match between Argentina and Algeria, which ended in a 3-0 victory for the Argentines. In the 31st minute, Messi hit Mandi with the sole of his foot on the leg, knocking the defender down. The match referee, Szymon Marciniak, did not even show a yellow card and VAR did not intervene.
Henry analyzed the situation on a Fox Sports broadcast, highlighting the importance of intention in evaluating plays. "If you look at the play again, it's clear that Messi was focused on the ball and trying to make a football move, not hurt anyone. Yes, there was contact. Yes, it looked a little clumsy. But not every collision deserves a red card," Henry said.
Argentina stood out in the match with a hat-trick from Messi, securing the victory and showing their strength in the competition.
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