The controversial 2022 FIFA World Cup referee whose performance on the weekend was heavily slated by Lionel Messi and company has reportedly been sent home from Qatar.
Spanish match official Mateu Lahoz was in charge of the quarter-final between Argentina and Netherlands clash that saw a record-breaking 18 yellow cards being handed out, with the referee struggling to control the tie as it descended into chaos on a few occasions.
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A few of the players involved in the fixture have since slammed the referee, including penalty shootout hero Emiliano Martínez, who claimed Lahoz was "crazy, the worst referee of the tournament, he is arrogant".
His captain Messi felt the Spaniard was not at the level required to officiate a match of such importance.
"I think FIFA must take care of this, it cannot put a referee like that for a match of such magnitude, of such importance," he said, per the Daily Mail.
"The referee cannot fail to be up to the task."
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Now, according to Spanish news outlet COPE, Lahoz will not be officiating any more matches at the World Cup and is getting ready to "head home from Qatar".
It should be emphasised that his return to his native country might have nothing to do with feisty quarter-final tie he took charge of, and it remains unconfirmed if the decision for the Spanish official to miss out on the semi-finals and final was pre-planned or if the call was made following the referee's most recent performance.
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FIFA has also confirmed that disciplinary cases have been opened up against Argentina and the Netherlands after they both received more than five yellow cards during the tie.
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