Irish FA Denies Players Were Paid to Protect Lionel Messi in 2010 Friendly

The Irish Football Association has categorically denied claims that their players were offered $10,000 each not to kick Lionel Messi in a friendly against Argentina in 2010.

As reported by Sport, Canchallena journalist Ezequiel Fernandez Moores has claimed that Julio Grondona, the president of the Argentina Football Association up until his death last year, offered the monetary incentive to prevent the Barcelona talisman, not fully fit at the time, from picking up an injury in the game.

Peter Morrison/Associated Press

However, as we can see here courtesy of Tommy Martin of TV3, the FAI have issued a statement in which these claims are refuted:

It’s the second time this month the FAI has been caught up in underhand allegations. As noted by the Sport piece, the Republic were apparently compensated a sum to the tune of €5 million after a Thierry Henry handball controversially scuppered their chances of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

The news about the apparent payment prompted this chant from England supporters on their visit to Dublin for a friendly earlier this month, per the Football Chants Twitter feed:

The Albiceleste were invited to the friendly in the Irish capital five years ago to celebrate the opening of the Republic of Ireland’s new home, the Aviva Stadium. It was a game in which Messi was withdrawn after 60 minutes and Argentina won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Manchester United’s Angel Di Maria.

Peter Morrison/Associated Press

Messi, who inspired the Blaugrana to an historic treble with some mesmerising displays in 2014-15, is no stranger to abrasive tactics being deployed by the opposition. As some of the included images from the game show, the Irish players didn't look to have any issues getting stuck into the Argentina star either.