Belgium boss Marc Wilmots claimed refs are scared to book Lionel Messi ­after branding Argentina “ordinary and unimpressive”.

Messi inspired Argentina to their first World Cup ­semi-final in 24 years as Gonzalo Higuain’s early ­winner dispatched the Belgians.

But Wilmots was ­fuming that Italian ref Nicola Rizzoli failed to show the superstar a ­yellow card for a couple of heavy challenges.

He complained: “We were not impressed by the Argentinians – it is just an ordinary team.

“If we had played like Argentina, I’d have been ­destroyed by the Belgian press.

“When you look at Argentina, Messi and Angel di Maria are among the top five players in the world – but they just ­depend on three, four or five attacking players. Their team is divided in two.

“We definitely think Messi is the star player – he never loses the ball, but he did make a couple of tackles. I don’t want to be a cry baby – but every time there was a favourable decision it went to Argentina.

“Messi made three fouls and no yellow card. Our players had one foul, one yellow card. Everybody knows Messi is an extraordinary player but at the end the Argentinians were suffering cramps, I haven’t seen that a lot.

“If we equalised, they were dead, they were finished.

“We also saw the experience of the Argentinians – they can disrupt the rhythm of the game. It takes them just 20 ­seconds to take a throw-in and the ­referee does nothing. I was ­wondering who is the favourite, which team is making the running?

“It was a small mistake which gave them their goal. We have learned a lot.

“You could sense the feeling in the dressing room but we were the youngest team in the last eight, I am proud of them. My staff were crying. They are emotional, these people are so ­passionate about their work.”

-Mirror

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