Marciniak reveals private Messi message after Argentina game

Szymon Marciniak has opened up on a brief but memorable exchange with Lionel Messi after Argentina’s meeting with Algeria at the 2026 World Cup, while also revisiting one of the main refereeing flashpoints from that game.

The Polish official was speaking on TVP’s Rozmowy na medal with Dariusz Szpakowski, where he reflected on a tournament in which he took charge of only two matches: Argentina against Algeria and Iran versus Egypt. Despite his standing after refereeing the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France in Qatar, Marciniak was not appointed by FIFA for any knockout fixture at the 2026 finals.

Messi conversation left Marciniak surprised

The headline detail from Marciniak’s appearance concerned what happened after the Argentina-Algeria match. He said Messi approached him following the final whistle during the usual post-match handshakes involving players from both teams.

According to Marciniak, the Argentina captain pulled him closer and said something quietly in his ear. The referee described the comment as significant and positive, adding that he had not been expecting the moment.

Marciniak chose not to reveal the exact words, but he indicated that the remark related to the way he and his officiating team handled the match. He suggested it reflected their broader refereeing style and management on the pitch, and he appeared to take particular satisfaction from hearing that assessment from a player of Messi’s stature.

Referee revisits controversial Messi challenge

The match itself generated debate over an incident involving Messi and Algeria defender Aissa Mandi. In the 31st minute, Messi caught Mandi on the calf with his studs, prompting some observers to argue that stronger punishment was possible.

Marciniak defended the on-field decision by explaining that referees had been warned not to be misled by a single still image. His view was that Mandi had been falling in front of Messi, leaving the forward needing somewhere to place his foot. He said there was no forceful stamp or pressing motion in the contact.

He also revealed that VAR official Tomasz Kwiatkowski shared the same interpretation after reviewing the footage. Marciniak’s argument was that the image looked worse than the action itself and that the level of force was minimal.

With hindsight, a yellow card was possible

Even so, Marciniak acknowledged that his view softened slightly when he watched the game back later. He admitted that, on reflection, he would have shown Messi a yellow card for the challenge.

At the same time, he stood by the overall standard of the officiating and stressed that the absence of a booking did not affect the wider course of the contest. Messi went on to finish the game with three goals as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0.

• Marciniak refereed Argentina v Algeria and Iran v Egypt at the 2026 World Cup.
• He was not appointed to any knockout match by FIFA.
• He previously handled the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France.
• He said Messi’s private post-match comment reflected his team’s refereeing style.

A glimpse into Marciniak’s perspective

Marciniak’s account offered a rare insight into how elite referees process high-profile incidents in real time and then reassess them later. It also underlined the fine margins involved when a decision is judged not only by live action and VAR review, but by the power of a single replayed image.

For now, the exact content of Messi’s message remains private. But Marciniak made clear that it stayed with him, both because of who delivered it and because of what he felt it said about the work of his officiating team.