Despite Spain dominating most of this World Cup final, it was anyone’s game right up until the last minute.
The new world champions were on top for almost the whole 120 minutes, but they were never able to stretch out a lead to put the game beyond doubt.
And it could have gone a lot differently if Lionel Messi’s pleas to the referee were heeded. He felt he had a strong argument for getting Marc Cucurella sent off at the end of normal time.
Lionel Messi pointed out Marc Cucurella rule break during World Cup final
It’s not as though Messi was pulling his petition out of thin air. Right before the tie was sent to extra time, there was an incident in the middle of the pitch that had the 39-year-old arguing with Cucurella.
The left-back covered his mouth during their interaction — something that now carries the punishment of an instant sending off.
The officials elected not to take action. To be fair, it would have left a sour taste in a game of this magnitude.
But imagine what a difference that could have made. Cucurella could have followed Enzo Fernandez down the tunnel, and Spain might never have got that goal.
Equally, one of Argentina’s late chances could have gone differently.
In football, we don’t deal with almosts and maybes. But for all the VARgentina talk, can the South Americans feel hard-done-by for not getting more from the clear breach of the rules?
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