Carlos Chandía, a former Chilean referee, was officiating the 2007 Copa América semifinal between Argentina and Mexico when he saw something that warranted a yellow card: Messi had handled the ball. It was his second booking and would have meant his sending-off.
But there were only two and a half minutes left, so Chandía made an unusual decision. He approached the Rosario native and offered him a deal: “This play deserves a sending-off because you handled the ball, but my decision not to give you a yellow card will cost you the shirt you are wearing. I will have it after the end of the match”.
Messi kept his word. Once the match was over, he went to the referees’ dressing room and gave his shirt to Chandía. Days later, he played the final against Brazil, where Argentina lost 3-0. An anecdote that remained hidden for years, until the referee himself decided to tell it. 🇦🇷⚽