• Argentina's Lionel Messi and Chile's Gary Medel are both shown a red card during the third-place play-off. AFP
    Argentina's Lionel Messi and Chile's Gary Medel are both shown a red card during the third-place play-off. AFP
  • Argentina's Sergio Aguero, left, watches teammate Messi leaving the field after his red card. AP Photo
    Argentina's Sergio Aguero, left, watches teammate Messi leaving the field after his red card. AP Photo
  • SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - JULY 06: Players of Argentina and Chile argue with referee Mario Diaz de Vivar after showing Messi and Medel their red cards. Getty
    SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - JULY 06: Players of Argentina and Chile argue with referee Mario Diaz de Vivar after showing Messi and Medel their red cards. Getty
  • Argentina players with their third-place medals post-match. Messi refused to attend the ceremony.
    Argentina players with their third-place medals post-match. Messi refused to attend the ceremony.
  • Messi and Chile's Medel clash. AP Photo
    Messi and Chile's Medel clash. AP Photo
  • Messi, second left, looks on after teammate Sergio Aguero scored his side's opening goal against Chile. AP Photo
    Messi, second left, looks on after teammate Sergio Aguero scored his side's opening goal against Chile. AP Photo
  • Messi, and Chile's Gary Medel, second from left, scuffle in the incident that led to red cards for the pair. AP Photo
    Messi, and Chile's Gary Medel, second from left, scuffle in the incident that led to red cards for the pair. AP Photo
  • Messi fights for the ball with Arturo Vidal of Chile. Getty
    Messi fights for the ball with Arturo Vidal of Chile. Getty
  • Messi leaves the field after being sent off. AP Photo
    Messi leaves the field after being sent off. AP Photo
  • Chile's Gary Medel, left, and Argentina's Lionel Messi, centre, protest to referee Mario Diaz after both of them were sent off. AP Photo
    Chile's Gary Medel, left, and Argentina's Lionel Messi, centre, protest to referee Mario Diaz after both of them were sent off. AP Photo
  • Messi and Medel tussle off the ball in the incident that led to their red cards. AP Photo
    Messi and Medel tussle off the ball in the incident that led to their red cards. AP Photo
  • Messi looks on in shock after being sent off. AP Photo
    Messi looks on in shock after being sent off. AP Photo
  • Messi departs the pitch after his red card. AP Photo
    Messi departs the pitch after his red card. AP Photo

Lionel Messi gets three-month international football ban over 'corruption' rant at Copa America


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Lionel Messi has been suspended from playing international football for three months following a rant against officiating at the Copa America.

The Barcelona and Argentina captain said his side had suffered "corruption" at the tournament in Brazil after being sent off in a third-place playoff.

South American football confederation CONMEBOL also handed the five-time Ballon d'Or winner a $US50,000 (Dh183,600).

The ban means the Argentines will be without Messi for friendlies against Chile, Mexico and Germany.

The Barcelona forward was dismissed following a confrontation with former Cardiff midfielder Gary Medel, who was also shown a red card.

Messi appeared to have been hard done by, with Chile defender Medel appearing to push his head towards the Argentina playmaker as they squared up, chest to chest.

The Argentina captain suggested he had been singled out following his comments over the "crazy" officiating in the wake of their 2-0 semi-final defeat by hosts Brazil in Belo Horizonte.

"We don't need to be part of the corruption that we've suffered at this tournament," Messi said, as quoted by Spanish media outlet AS.

"Medel is always right at the limit. With a yellow that would have been the end of it for both of us, but well, maybe what I said recently had an impact.

"What's important is that the team finished well in the tournament. Maybe this was ordered and I ended up suffering because of what I said."

In the aftermath, CONMEBOL said a "fundamental pillar of fair play is to accept the results with loyalty and respect".

Although it did not mention Messi by name, the statement issued at the time said: "The same goes for refereeing decisions, which are human and will always be improvable."