Argentina Olympic men's soccer team found itself embroiled in an unsightly late-match conflict for the second time in Paris, with ex- Liverpool icon Javier Mascherano's team making headlines as they exited the tournament in France.
The former Reds defensive midfielder, Mascherano currently manages Argentina's U-23 squad, which fell 1-0 in Friday's quarterfinal to France. The match was marred by a post-game scuffle which broke out when he was approached by opposing manager and former Premier League great Thierry Henry.
"It was a very tough match. What happened at the end should not happen," Henry told reporters. "My player left with a red card and I couldn't control it.
"I went to greet Mascherano and when I realized that happened, I didn't like what happened at the end."
READ MORE: 5 Olympic stars should be on Liverpool transfer radar as Arne Slot can target 'next Eden Hazard'
READ MORE: Former Liverpool player went unnoticed as nation's flagbearer during Olympic opening ceremony
Dozens of players came together near midfield, a conflict that continued into the tunnel, the vitriolic byproduct of a half-decade of tension between the footballing powerhouses.
Mascherano played three full seasons at Anfield from 2007-2010, forging his reputation as one of the best defensive players in Europe before completing the remainder of his European club career with Barcelona . He also became one of Argentina's greatest all-time international players and led his nation into its third-ever competitive meeting with France at the 2018 World Cup.
A thrilling affair saw France emerge as 4-3 victors and led Mascherano to announce his retirement from international competition after making 147 appearances for La Albiceleste. The two nations met once again on world football's grandest stage four years later in an equally exhilarating World Cup final match, where Argentina exacted its revenge on penalty kicks.
The South Americans' first World Cup title since 1986 was tainted by behavior from Argentina fans in Qatar, however, who popularized a racist chanted about the Les Bleus' team referencing the numerous players of African ancestry. Lionel Messi's squad won another major international title in 2024 at the Copa America but created further controversy as Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez recorded his teammates signing the controversial anthem.
Many of Fernandez's French-African teammates decried the behavior, forcing the midfielder to issue an apology on Instagram. The enduring tension was palpable at the Matmut Atlantique in Bordeaux on Friday as French fans booed the Argentinian national anthem.
Animosity continued to build as France found a fifth-minute opener from Jean-Philippe Mateta's glancing front-post header, ultimately conceding nearly 70 percent of possession and lodging just one additional shot on target as they desperately defended a slim 1-0 advantage.
As La Albiceleste keeper Guillaume Restes booted the ball forward and the final whistle sounded, a scuffle began almost immediately, with Henry outraged after Enzo Millot was given a red card despite being subbed off five minutes earlier. "That's unnecessary, useless," Henry said. "He was on the bench. I'm really not happy about it."
"We don't take this match as revenge because the World Cup was with other teams, Henry continued. "Having scored the goal quickly gave us a decision. I apologize for the final disturbance. It's not what I wanted and I couldn't control it. In fact, they kicked out a player."
Most Popular
Comments / 0