Mandi reveals why he stayed on his feet after Messi’s World Cup challenge

Aissa Mandi has explained for the first time why he did not go to ground or protest more forcefully after Lionel Messi’s unpunished stamp during Argentina’s World Cup 2026 match against Algeria.

Speaking on the podcast Kampoa following his announcement in midweek that he was retiring from international football, the 34-year-old defender addressed the controversial incident, which neither the referee nor VAR chose to sanction.

During the group-stage encounter between Argentina and Algeria, Messi – who would later go on to score a hat-trick – accidentally raked his studs down Mandi’s calf. Despite the contact, play continued without a foul being given and with no intervention from the video assistant referee.

The challenge sparked debate after the game, with some observers arguing Messi could have been shown a red card and questioning why Mandi had not reacted more dramatically to draw the referee’s attention.

Mandi, who has just joined Levante, said he did not properly register the extent of the contact in real time and therefore did not think to exaggerate his fall.

Critics have also suggested he should have put more pressure on the match official in an effort to influence a potential dismissal for the Argentina captain. But the former Lille defender insisted he was also wary of talking himself into an early booking.

According to Mandi, confronting the referee aggressively or attempting to force a decision could have resulted in a yellow card for dissent. He felt that an early caution might have affected the way he defended for the rest of the match and potentially compromised the rest of his tournament.

By choosing to stay calm, he believed he was protecting both his own performance and Algeria’s wider interests in the competition, even if that meant the incident passed without punishment for Messi.

Mandi’s comments mark the first time he has publicly detailed his thought process during one of the flashpoints of Argentina’s campaign, offering insight into the split-second calculations players make under World Cup pressure.