Danny Makkelie refereed a match four times Lionel Messi and can remember a special moment with the attacker. Before the group match between Poland and Argentina (0-2) at the 2022 World Cup, Makkelie was surprised by Messi during the toss.
In the program Behind The Whistle from ESPN Makkelie looks back on the moment with Messi. “I once received a coin toss from a good friend of mine. On one side there is an angel, on the other side a text. Whenever I used that coin, the captains always choose the angel.”
“There was once one captain who did not choose the angel,” says the 41-year-old referee. “That was at the world championships in Qatar. I whistled Argentina – Poland and Messi had the choice. He chose the text. I said to him: ‘You are the first who does not choose the angel.’ Then he laughed.”
“He also lost that toss, so maybe he should have chosen the angel after all,” Makkelie laughs. In that match, Messi also missed a penalty, but Argentina nevertheless won 0-2. As a result, Argentina survived the group stage; eventually became the Albiceleste world champion.
