Messi's cold shoulder to Enzo after red card debunks World Cup conspiracy theories

Published Jul 24, 10:17 PM UTC

According to Argentina's La Nación, footage from the 2026 World Cup final shows Lionel Messi seemingly angry at teammate Enzo Fernández after he was sent off with a second yellow card. The incident has been used to counter widespread conspiracy theories in Argentina that the team intentionally lost the final to Spain. The video captures Enzo approaching Messi and De Paul on the sidelines after the match, but both players ignore him, a stark contrast to their warm relationship days earlier. The article argues that Messi's cold treatment is likely due to Enzo's costly red card, which forced Argentina to play extra time with 10 men against a stronger Spain side. The report dismisses baseless rumors involving FBI or geopolitical factors, framing the captain's reaction as a realistic, human element of professional football rather than evidence of a fix.