In what was a dramatic finish to the match between Morocco and Argentina, which ended 2-1 in favor of Morocco, FIFA has issued a statement regarding the controversial events that unfolded at the end of the game.
The match between Argentina and Morocco on Wednesday, July 24, at the Summer Olympics has ignited a major scandal in the soccer world. The referee disallowed Argentina’s equalizing goal nearly two hours after the match had ended and resumed play after Moroccan fans stormed the field and threw firecrackers at the Argentine players. This decision has prompted FIFA to take action. The events at the start of the men’s football tournament were highly unusual and controversial.
Argentina managed to score an equalizer after the referee added 15 minutes of stoppage time. Then after two hours after the crowd trouble when play resumed, the goal was ruled offside, and only two minutes of additional time were played. Morocco ultimately won 2-1, leading to immediate and widespread complaints from the Argentine side.
FIFA’s Decision on Argentina-Morocco Scandal
Following the complaints, FIFA has made a decision regarding the incidents that occurred. “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided, pursuant to Article 36 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, to appoint an integrity expert to assist in investigations into possible violations of FIFA regulations, following the incidents that occurred during the match between the Argentina and Morocco teams held on July 24, 2024, at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne (France), which was part of the group stage of the Paris 2024 Men’s Olympic Football Tournament.”
Argentina now faces a must-win game against Iraq on Saturday to avoid elimination. The team was also shocked when they reported that midfielder Thiago Almada had $50,000 worth of personal items stolen from him upon arrival in France.
Morocco will face Ukraine in a match that could secure first place for Morocco, depending on the results of other games.