'Not up to the task' - Messi slams referee Lahoz following card-happy display in Netherlands-Argentina World Cup quarter-final

• 18 players booked
• Messi slams referee Lahoz
• Referee 'not up to the task'

WHAT HAPPENED? The irked Argentina skipper said the Spanish official was not cut out for the job of officiating matches on a stage as big as the World Cup last eight. Lahoz showed a record 18 yellow cards and gave Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries a red after the final whistle.

WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to reporters after the game, Messi said: "I don't want to talk about the referee because you can't be honest. If you talk they sanction you, FIFA must think about it, they can't put a referee like that for these instances, they can't put a referee who isn't up to the task."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Incidentally, the Netherlands were involved in the game that held the previous record for the highest number of yellow cards in a World Cup match. The infamous Portugal-Netherlands last-16 tie - dubbed 'the Battle of Nuremberg' - at the 2006 World Cup had 16 bookings.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT FOR ARGENTINA? Lionel Scaloni's side next face Croatia in the semi-final on December 13.