Misleading social media post distorts context of referee and Messi image
An image circulating on X was digitally cropped to remove opposing team captain Hugo Lloris, creating a false narrative about a personal request during the Argentina-England match.
A viral social media post published on X by @TheFootyFeed on July 14, 2026, has been identified as misinformation regarding the conduct of FIFA referee Ismail Elfath. The post claimed that Elfath, appointed to officiate the 2026 World Cup semi-final between Argentina and England, was the only official to request a photograph with Argentina captain Lionel Messi. This assertion is factually incorrect, as the accompanying image is a digitally altered version of a standard pre-match group photo from the 2022 World Cup Final.
The image in question was originally sourced from Getty Images and depicts the lineup of referees and team captains before the final match between Argentina and France in Lusail City, Qatar, on December 18, 2022. The full, uncropped photograph includes France’s Hugo Lloris and other officials, specifically Tomasz Listkiewicz, Szymon Marciniak, and Pawe Sokolnicki. The viral post cropped the image to isolate Elfath and Messi, thereby removing the context of a formal, group documentation practice common in international football.
The misinformation campaign gained traction by framing the altered image as evidence of unusual behaviour during the 2026 tournament. The post, which appeared on the day before the Argentina-England semi-final, suggested that Elfath’s alleged request was a unique occurrence that distinguished him from other referees. This narrative was designed to imply a personal interaction that did not occur, despite Elfath being the designated official for the match scheduled for July 15, 2026.
Fact-checking analysis confirms that the image predates the 2026 World Cup by approximately four years. The original Getty Images caption explicitly lists the individuals from left to right, confirming the presence of the opposing team captain and the formal nature of the gathering. Similar pre-game photographs involving captains and officials are a standard protocol for documenting matches, as evidenced by comparable images from other international fixtures.
The spread of this altered image coincides with Argentina’s progression to the 2026 World Cup final. Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the semi-final, with Messi providing assists for both late goals. The 39-year-old’s performance extended his tournament record, bringing his tally to 10 assists in World Cup knockout stages. However, the viral post regarding Elfath’s conduct remains an unsubstantiated claim based on misappropriated historical imagery.
