FAI Denies Reports Of Ireland Players Receiving $10,000 Each To Not Hurt Messi In 2010's Friendly

The Football Association of Ireland will take legal advice after denying reports that their players were allegedly paid $10,000 each to not hurt Argentinian football sensation Lionel Messi in 2010’s friendly in Dublin, Ireland.

FAI has described the allegation of La Nacion, an Argentinian newspaper, as ‘baseless’ and will take legal advice. The La Nacion report claimed that the match had been arranged by the late Julio Grondona, who was head of Argentina Football Association at the time, partly to help compensate Ireland’s controversial World Cup play-off exit in France due to a Thierry Henry handball incident.

However, the Irish football chiefs dismissed this notion pointing out on a statement that staging partner Kentaro was the one who organised the friendly.

“The Football Association of Ireland completely refutes the allegations made about the Republic of Ireland v Argentina friendly match in La Nacion as baseless. The match in question was organised by Kentaro and announced by press release prior to the World Cup play-offs in 2009. We are consulting our legal advisers in relation to the article and will be taking further steps,” FAI said in a statement as per the Guardian.

Reports from goal.com says high-profile journalist Ezequiel Fernandez Moores claimed in an article entitled ‘Obscene Power’ that the FAI was paid a sum of €5 million to drop any potential legal case against FIFA after Ireland’s controversial 2009 World Cup exit in Paris. He added that in order to calm down Ireland, it was reported that Grondona made the suggestion to FIFA president Sepp Blatter to bring Messi, who was supposed to be with Barcelona for a preseason tour in China.

The report added that Barca was furious and when the required $5 million insurance for Messi could not be sourced, it was then that Grondona decided to take the less costly way by paying the Ireland footballers $10,000 each to not hurt the Argentina international. Argentina won the friendly with a 1-0 victory after a first-half goal from Angel di Maria while Messi only played 58 minutes.