Surprisingly, it wasn’t Klose who opposed to Messi snapping his World Cup milestone. Quite the contrary, as Klose congratulated Messi and called him “the best of all time.“ Instead, it was Schmeichel, who delivered a blunt statement about Messi’s beauty of a goal against Austria, before capping things off with a brace to send Argentina through to the round of 32.

“I am not going to take the gloss off Messi, I think he’s been fantastic. But I don’t think that goal should have stood,” Schmeichel admitted on FOX, where he is working as an analyst.

“Think about how Argentina got that penalty, it was a kick from behind through the player. This is a free-kick as well. That should’ve been a free-kick. The play goes on to the goal. VAR should have taken the goal back. It was a clear and obvious mistake from the referee.”

Messi under the scope once again

While Schmeichel made it clear his comments weren’t directed at Messi or Argentina, and were mainly aimed at match referee Amin Omar, they did cause suspicion to resurface. In Qatar 2022, much was said about Argentina’s games and the fact they got the better end of the stick on several occasions.

Argentina were awarded five penalties throughout the 2022 World Cup, and while some were obvious calls (like the one awarded to Argentina against Austria in 2026), others left room for discussion. With his comments on Messi’s first goal against Austria, the same conversation that took place four years ago may take over world soccer once more.

Argentina move on to knockout stage

However, as the rest of the world debates whether referees have a soft spot for Messi and Argentina, La Albiceleste go about their business. It’s worked out just fine for them before, so there is really no reason to change course now.

Argentina are off to the knockout stage, have clinched first place in Group J, and will take on Jordan in a game that matters little. Argentina will be without Cristian Romero against Jordan, but have avoided a major scare. Plus, it will serve them well to test their depth and try new things.

Even when it rains, the sun seems to shine on Argentina. Somehow, some way, they always land on their feet. As the Argentine saying goes: Every bus leads them home.