Fact check: Lionel Messi told Portuguese referee João Pinheiro, "DO NOT DISRESPECT ME."

Original content reviewed

Platform: THREADS Author: @fabriziorom --- Caption/Description --- 😡☝🏼 “𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐄”, Lionel Messi has told the Portuguese referee João Pinheiro 🚨⚠️ “Talk to me properly please. Don’t disrespect me, I talk to you respectfully”, Messi’s words reported by ESPN Argentina 🇦🇷 --- Carousel/Slides (2 items) --- Slide 1 (image): Text: AFA Adidas Lenovo PINHEIRO se MESSI CHAMPION Slide 2 (image): Text: AFA *** adidas PINHEIRO Bose 11 ---VERIFICATION_SUMMARY--- Platform: THREADS Author: @fabriziorom --- Caption/Description --- 😡☝🏼 “𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐄”, Lionel Messi has told the Portuguese referee João Pinheiro 🚨⚠️ “Talk to me properly please. Don’t disrespect me, I talk to you respectfully”, Messi’s words reported by ESPN Argentina 🇦🇷 --- Claims to Verify --- 1. Lionel Messi told Portuguese referee João Pinheiro, "DO NOT DISRESPECT ME." 2. Lionel Messi told João Pinheiro, "Talk to me properly please. Don’t disrespect me, I talk to you respectfully." 3. ESPN Argentina reported Messi's words to João Pinheiro. --- Verification Focus --- Lionel Messi João Pinheiro confrontation ESPN Argentina Lionel Messi referee dispute quotes João Pinheiro referee controversies

Claims analyzed (3)

1. verified: Lionel Messi told Portuguese referee João Pinheiro, "DO NOT DISRESPECT ME."
   Multiple news sources from July 12, 2026, confirm that Lionel Messi said "Do not disrespect me" to Portuguese referee João Pinheiro during the 2026 World Cup quarterfinal match between Argentina and Switzerland.
2. verified: Lionel Messi told João Pinheiro, "Talk to me properly please. Don’t disrespect me, I talk to you respectfully."
   Several news reports from July 12, 2026, corroborate that Lionel Messi used these exact words during his confrontation with referee João Pinheiro.
3. verified: ESPN Argentina reported Messi's words to João Pinheiro.
   Multiple news articles from July 12, 2026, explicitly state that ESPN Argentina reported Messi's words to João Pinheiro during the match.

Sources consulted (7)

• tribuna.com — tribuna.com
• Messi nổi giận với trọng tài Bồ Đào Nha: 'Đừng thiếu tôn trọng tôi' - Saostar.vn — Saostar.vn
• Messi nổi nóng với trọng tài Bồ Đào Nha - Báo Mới — Báo Mới
• What Did Lionel Messi Say to the Referee at Argentina vs Switzerland FIFA World Cup Quarterfinal? - Essentially Sports — Essentially Sports
• dailysports.net — dailysports.net
• essentiallysports.com — essentiallysports.com
• foxsports.com.au — foxsports.com.au

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