Argentina forward Lionel Messi
has been banned from their next four competitive internationals starting with Tuesday’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier away to
Bolivia.
FIFA, the world football governing body, said on Tuesday that Messi was banned for “directing
insulting words at an assistant referee” during Argentina’s 1-0 win over Chile on Friday.
FIFA said after the game in La Paz, the “remainder of the
sanction will be served over Argentina’s subsequent World Cup qualifying
matches”.
Messi, who scored the only goal in the qualifier, was angered
when he was flagged for a foul, waving and shouting at the assistant in
response.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 29-year-old FC
Barcelona player was also fined £8,100 (about N4.5 million).
The ban came just five and a half hours before Argentina’s World
Cup qualifier against Bolivia kicks off.
NAN reports that Argentina are third in South American
qualifying, with the top four teams advancing to next summer’s finals in
Russia.
There are five matches still to play in the qualifiers.
(NAN)
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