ARGENTINA captain Lionel Messi has been banned from international football for three months after he claimed that the Copa America was “corrupt.”
Messi, 32, was sent off during Argentina’s 2-1 third-place play-off win over Chile and later said the “cup was fixed for Brazil”.
He was fined $50,000 by Conmebol, the South American Football Confederation and has seven days to appeal his suspension.
The ban means Messi will miss Argentina’s upcoming friendlies against Chile, Mexico and Germany in September and October.
Argentina’s qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup begins in March 2020.
Following Argentina’s 2-0 semi-final defeat by hosts Brazil, the Argentine Football Association complained about “serious and gross refereeing errors”.
