Two days out from the biggest match of their lives, Argentina’s players aren’t just training for England. They’re doing it under the shadow of a petition with more signatures than the population of Denmark. The number, as of Tuesday evening, stood past six million. The site behind it, argentinaout.com, carries no FIFA badge, no federation letterhead, nothing official at all just a headline demanding the reigning champions get thrown out of their own World Cup.
Its pitch is blunt. “As is obvious to everyone, FIFA and the referees are partial towards Lionel Messi and Argentina,” reads the petition. “What’s the point of the rest of the world fighting when the outcome has been determined beforehand? Disqualify Argentina from the World Cup and give the others a fair shot.”
Why Fans Want Argentina Out
The emotional rhetoric masks several legitimate disputes. Messi walked away from a group-stage tangle with Algeria without a red card that some officials say he deserved. Egypt watched Argentina claw back from 2-0 down in the dying minutes of the round of 16, a collapse so improbable that manager Hossam Hassan accused FIFA outright of protecting Messi’s tournament.
The Martinez Controversy
Then came the quarter-final: Argentina needed extra time to see off Switzerland 3-1, and the winning goal belonged to Lautaro Martinez who was already on a yellow card when he scored it, then scaled the advertising boards to celebrate with supporters. Under IFAB’s own laws, that’s a second caution.
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Referee Facundo Tello never reached for his pocket. Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett later called the incident a missed sending-off, telling reporters Martinez deserved a ban before England even faced Argentina. None of that will keep Argentina off the pitch in Atlanta on Thursday. FIFA alone decides who plays and who doesn’t, and a viral petition however large settles nothing. Scaloni’s side are through, full stop.
Why FIFA Won’t Act
There’s a wrinkle England’s own fans might not love hearing about. Premier League referees Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor have officiated some of the tournament’s biggest games, but neither will take charge of Thursday’s semi-final, or anything after it. FIFA prevents referees from officiating matches involving their own countries. England’s run to the semi-final therefore removed both Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor from consideration for the match against Argentina or any later fixture. Oliver, who holds the record for World Cup appearances by an English referee, forfeits a six-figure payday because of it.
So Argentina arrive in Atlanta under the weight of six million signatures, multiple refereeing controversies and a rival fanbase convinced FIFA has stacked the deck in their favour. What they don’t trail is anything that matters on paper no suspension, no sanction, no asterisk. Messi and his teammates walk out Thursday exactly as they’re supposed to: as the team standing between England and a World Cup final, petition or no petition.
