Lionel Messi might be the World Cup’s overwhelming protagonist, shaping moments and defining games. But a background crew, Gianni Infantino, Donald Trump, enraged managers, referees, and the error-checking mechanism, are putting in heavy shifts as support cast. Add conspiracy theories, corruption and rigging allegations, and the World Cup has the intrigue of a spy movie. The background score intensified when Egypt manager Hossam Hassan remarked, after Argentina’s controversial 3-2 turnaround, that officials had been pressured to keep Messi in the tournament. “Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running,” Hassan said after the match. “In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champions received support at every level.” He was referring to two incidents that decided the game: Mostafa Zico’s goal scrapped for a foul on Argentina’s Lisandro Martinez at the other end of the pitch, and Alexis Mac Allister pulling Mohammed Salah inside the box before Enzo Fernandez scored the winner. Egypt’s Mohamed Salah (10) talks with Referee Francois Letexier, of France, during the World Cup …