Argentina forward Lionel Messi in an interview with TyC Sports commented on the conflict with Uruguay defender Mathias Olivera during the match of the qualifying stage for the 2026 World Cup.
In the second half of the game, the 36-year-old Argentine captain first pushed and then grabbed Napoli's 26-year-old Olivera by the throat. The match referee, who was watching the incident, did not penalize the Inter Miami striker and did not show him a yellow card.
According to Messi himself, the Uruguayan showed disrespect to his elders, which was the reason for the altercation.
I'd rather keep quiet about what I think. But young people like Matias Olivera need to learn to respect their elders.
Lionel Messi
The match took place on November 16 in Buenos Aires at La Bombonera Stadium and ended in a 0-2 defeat for the Albiceleste. Defender Ronald Araujo and forward Darwin Nunez scored goals for the winners. The loss did not prevent Lionel Scaloni's team from leading the CONMEBOL standings with 1 point after five rounds.