After Argentina‘s extra-time win against Cape Verde in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32, Lionel Messi defended Argentine journalist Sofia Martinez against allegations during the press conference. He playfully stated in the mixed zone: “If I look at you, they ask why I’m looking. If I greet you, they ask why I’m greeting you.”
The interaction quickly drew widespread media attention, as Messi good-naturedly dismissed ongoing rumors linking him romantically to the journalist.
Sofia Martinez is a prominent Argentine sports journalist for ESPN and Televisión Pública who gained global recognition during the 2022 World Cup for her viral, heartfelt interview with Lionel Messi.
This weird rumor began during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, after Sofia delivered one of the greatest speeches which was deeply moving in the post-match monologue. Thanking Messi on behalf of all Argentines, she told him that no matter the result achieves in Qatar, he would always be the greatest player in the world. But the internet began to troll by over-analyzing Messi’s expressions in bizarre way as the comments began to say, “the way he looked at her”.
The narrative quickly spiraled into baseless claims of marital tension with Messi’s wife, Antonela Roccuzzo. Furthermore, false reports began emerged claiming that the Argentine squad had restricted Martínez’s media access. This relentless online gossip took a severe emotional toll on Sofia and her family.
After the match against Cape Verde, Messi spotted Sofi in the mixed zone and used humor to disarm the trolls once and for all by saying, “If I look at you, they ask why I’m looking. If I greet you, they ask why I’m greeting you.”
This made Sofia laugh at first and then thanked him for defending her against the ruthless rumors, saying, “I appreciate what you said, and thank you for your words.”
Many football fans began to applaud Messi’s gesture to defending her from the rumors. They posted in support for Sofia Martinez urging people to stop these relentless rumors for the sake personal life and family.
Sofi later revealed that Antonela Roccuzzo, Messi’s wife, had also privately messaged her, offering reassuring support and telling her to ignore the media noise.
By directly mocking the gossip, Messi utilized his immense global platform to shield Sofia from harassment on social media and to validate her professional status. This lighthearted intervention allowed them to seamlessly pivot back to tactical football questions. Media analysts widely praised the gesture as a powerful stand against the casual misogyny women in sports journalism frequently face, where professional interactions are routinely reduced to just for fabricated romantic narratives.
Lionel Messi’s Argentina will face Egypt in the Round of 16 on July 7 at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta.
