Author: Dhruv Patil
After a controversial incident during Argentina’s 1-0 win over Paraguay in the South American qualifiers, Lionel Messi, seven times voted the best player in the world, spoke about the situation.
The incident in question involved the Paraguayan player Sanabria spitting in Messi’s direction, a moment that quickly went viral. However, Messi, on leaving the Monumental de Núñez stadium after the third-round match, claimed that he was unaware of the act when it happened. “The truth is that I didn’t see it, but they told me in the dressing room. I didn’t see it, and I don’t even know who this guy is. I’d rather not say, otherwise he’ll go out and talk everywhere and become known” said Messi.
Both Messi and Sanabria entered the game during the second half. Messi came on in place of Julián Álvarez in the 7th minute, while Sanabria replaced Bareiro in the 24th minute. The controversial moment came in the 34th minute. After Messi was fouled by Paraguayan left-back Espinoza, Sanabria, who was standing nearby, exchanged words with Messi and then spat at him. The broadcast highlighted the incident a few minutes later.
Interestingly, Sanabria, now 27, began his footballing journey in the youth ranks of Barcelona, the same club where Messi is revered as the greatest icon. A photo of the two players in their Barcelona days was even shared by the newspaper Olé.
Despite his initial association with Barcelona, Sanabria never made the first team. He went on to play for several European clubs, including Roma, Betis and Genoa. He has been with Torino since the beginning of 2021.
In conclusion, although the incident on the pitch between Messi and Sanabria attracted a lot of attention, Messi’s response indicates a desire to move on from the incident and focus on the game.