"He angered Messi and sparked controversy in Europe": the referee for the Saudi Arabia-Qatar clash revealed
From a clash to a Gulf 27 semi-final
Portuguese referee João Pinheiro is back in the spotlight, this time for one of the biggest matches of Gulf Cup 27. His name was recently tied to a fiery clash with Lionel Messi, as well as a string of decisions that sparked controversy across European and international tournaments.
All eyes turn to the Inma Stadium at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Saturday evening, where Saudi Arabia face Qatar in the semi-finals of the Arabian Gulf Cup.
Saudi Arabia go in buoyant. They topped Group One with a perfect record, beating Kuwait 1-0, Oman 3-0 and Iraq 2-0.
Qatar got there the hard way, finishing second in Group Two on 7 points, level with the UAE, who pipped them on goal difference. They beat Bahrain 2-0 and Yemen 1-0 before drawing 1-1 with the UAE.
Saudi newspaper "Al-Riyadiah" revealed that Pinheiro will take charge of the eagerly awaited meeting, having already officiated Saudi Arabia's opening win over Kuwait at this tournament.
At 38, Pinheiro has held the international badge since 2016 and has refereed plenty of major fixtures at both European and international level.
He was at the 2026 World Cup, where his standout match was the quarter-final between Argentina and Switzerland. Argentina won it 3-1 after extra time.
Pinheiro ended up in a heated exchange with Lionel Messi during that game. The Argentine objected to the way the referee spoke to him, gesturing with his hand and demanding respect.
Media outlets reported that Messi insisted the referee address him properly, stressing that he was treating him the same way.
No card followed. Pinheiro later explained that such exchanges happen naturally with players, but a name as big as Messi was always going to draw wide attention.
The Messi flashpoint is not the only controversy to follow him. He drew criticism for his handling of the Champions League semi-final second leg between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, waving away a penalty the German side wanted for a handball inside the box.
Pinheiro also took charge of Switzerland against Bosnia in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, a match packed with striking decisions that included the sending-off of Bosnia defender Tarik Mahremovic.
Now, caught between the Messi incident and the European controversy, Pinheiro faces a fresh test in Jeddah. A place in the Gulf Cup 27 final is on the line.
