Argentina’s huge row with the Netherlands following their dramatic World Cup quarter-final has been revealed in new footage.
Despite an incredible comeback from the Netherlands in normal time where substitute Weghorst scored two late goals including an equaliser in the 11th minute of stoppage time, Argentina won on penalties.
However, a thrilling game turned ugly in the final stages, with a number of altercations and bust ups during the game that saw the referee give a record 17 yellow cards.
The players were enraged by what they saw as intimidation tactics from Louis van Gaal’s team, and after they won the penalty shootout, Lionel Messi and company made sure their opponents knew about it.
Messi even confronted the Dutch manager afterward and was held back by the staff. He also aimed insults at Burnley striker Weghorst while he was doing the post-match interview.
Lionel Messi to Wout Weghorst after the match: “What are you looking at, dumby? Go back there, dumby. Get back there, yes!” ?pic.twitter.com/LaJlIgpaRy
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) December 10, 2022
According to Weghorst, he was waiting near the tunnel for Messi to finish his interview so he can shake hands with him and congratulate him. But he was disappointed to see the reaction by the Argentine. He said:
“I wanted to give him a hand after the match but he smashed my hand away and didn’t want to speak with me.”
“My Spanish is not good, but they were not respectful words. So it was really disappointing.”
?? Wout Weghorst on the altercation with Leo Messi:
"I wanted to give him a hand after the match but he smashed my hand away and didn't want to speak with me."
"My Spanish is not good, but they were not respectful words. So it was really disappointing."#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/4QXpUiT2H3
— Football Tweet ?? (@Football__Tweet) December 10, 2022
And retired Argentine hero Sergio Aguero also got involved as he stepped in to confront the Netherlands striker.
The footage shows a couple of players surrounding the striker as he tries to explain that he just wants to shake Messi’s hands.
Heated moment after the game between the Weghorst and the players
— All About Argentina ??? (@AlbicelesteTalk) December 10, 2022
Aguero said about the incident later that he intervened when he saw the player shouting Messi’s name. He said (via talkSPORT):
“We were just starting to enter the dressing room when this big guy [Weghorst] started to shout, ‘Hey, hey, Messi.’
“Leo turned around to look at him and said what he said.
“The guy then told him, ‘Come here and say that’, so I jumped in there and told him to shut up.
“I said, ‘Why are you talking to Messi like that?’ He then said to me, ‘Don’t tell me to shut up’.”