Mateu Lahoz sets World Cup yellow card record with 17 yellows!

At the end of the match between the Netherlands and Argentina, everyone was upset with Mateu Lahoz. 

"I don't want to talk about the referee because you can't be honest," Messi said after being cautioned by Lahoz, who during his time at Barcelona, showed Messi a yellow for showing a shirt which paid tribute to Diego Maradona. 

The Spanish referee gave a record 17 yellow cards in the match between the Netherlands and Argentina in the World Cup quarter-final in Qatar. That surpasses the 16 yellow cards shown by Russian referee Valentin Ivanov in the Battle of Nuremberg between Portugal and the Netherlands at the 2006 World Cup which the Portuguese won 1-0. However, Ivanov issued four red cards to Mateu Lahoz's one. 

In the Netherlands' clash with Argentina, the Netherlands saw seven yellow cards, two of which made a red to Dumfries in the penalty shootout. Argentina also picked up nine cards while Lionel Scaloni's assistant Walter Samuel also saw a flash of yellow. 

Mateu Lahoz's performance did not leave anyone indifferent. There were several scuffles and the Spanish referee was constantly blowing his whistle. 

"If you speak, you are punished. FIFA must think about that. You can't put a referee like him for these matches, you can't put a referee who is not up to standard," Messi told 'DirectTV' post game. 

Messi felt he should have been awarded several free-kicks during the contest and, despite the fact Mateu did not give him a clear yellow card for handball, Messi was one of those booked. The 35 year-old was cautioned for protesting the 10 added minutes which allowed the Dutch to level and force extra-time. 

At half-time, Messi had already gone to speak about Mateu Lahoz to ask for explanations about several decisions made by the referee. The officials gave two yellows to people on the benches to try and prevent things getting out of hand. 

It was Mateu Lahoz third match at the World Cup. He had shown six yellows in Qatar against Senegal and four in USA's victory over Iran before issuig 17 in the quarter-final. The tournament average is just 3.25 per match.