FIFA have confirmed that Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz will not take charge of any more World Cup matches following his display in the quarter-final tie between Argentina and the Netherlands. The 45-year-old handed 17 yellow cards and sent off Denzel Dumfries in a fiery clash in Lusail.
The victory ensured Lionel Messi's hopes of lifting the prestigious trophy for the first time remain on course but there were many complaints from the South Americans following the game. FIFA's decision comes after Messi voiced his concerns of the official's performance. "This match shouldn't have ended as it did," he said.
"I don't want to talk about the referee because they sanction you. But people saw what happened. We were afraid before the match because we knew how he was and I think FIFA has to review this. You can't put a referee like him for these matches."
