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Portugal veteran Pepe takes a shot at FIFA: 'They can give the title to Argentina now'

Pepe didn't hold anything back following Portugal's elimination at the hands of Morocco, taking a huge shot at FIFA for selecting Argentine referee Facundo Tello. On top of that, he suggested they wantLionel Messi's Argentina to win the 2022 World Cup.

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By martín o’donnell

Pepe complaining against referee Facundo Tello.
© Francois Nel/Getty ImagesPepe complaining against referee Facundo Tello.

A World Cup elimination hits harder than any other defeat for a professional soccer player. There are different ways to react, though. Many just feel the pain and leave heartbroken, like Brazil or Spain. Others leave furious, like Uruguay or Portugal.

Cristiano Ronaldo and company were knocked out of Qatar 2022 by Morocco, who advanced to their firstWorld Cup semifinals. While Fernando Santos‘ men are devastated due to theresult itself, they’re also frustrated with the officials’decisions.

Veteran center-back Pepe, for instance, was clearly mad at Argentine referee Facundo Tello. In his postgame interview, Pepe blasted the governing body, suggesting it wants Lionel Messi to win the trophy with Argentina.

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Pepe blastsFIFA, suggests Argentina are being favored

“It’s inadmissible that an Argentine referee was in charge today after what happened yesterday, with Messi complaining. After what I saw today, they can give the title to Argentina now,” Pepe said, via Relevo.

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Those are harsh words from an experienced player, whoknows in what kind of trouble he might be getting into. FIFA will probably not take this lightly, so we have to wait and see how they react to these comments.

With Portugal out, who do you think will reach the grand final?Using this World Cup Predictor, you can see every potential outcome of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

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Enjoy all the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup matches from the United States through FuboTV. Click here and to take advantage of their 7-day free trial offer.

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