Lionel Messi made brief but telling comments about Raphinha’s offensive remarks against Argentina before Wednesday’s Superclásico.
Raphinha had promised Argentina victory on and off the pitch, motivating the Argentine players and contributing to their 4-1 victory over Brazil in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Messi missed the Superclásico due to injury, but spoke after the match, expressing his pride in the world champions.
“At home or abroad, this team speaks for itself only through football,” Messi said.
He added, “Congratulations to the players and to Argentina for this great match against Brazil, as well as for the victory before that against Uruguay.”
With Argentina’s victory, they became the first Latin American team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, a first step toward retaining their historic title in 2022.
