Superstar footballer, Lionel Messi has broken his silence on rumours linking him romantically with Argentine television reporter Sofi Martinez following their encounter in the FIFA World Cup mixed zone.
The 39-year-old superstar directly confronted the speculation after Argentina secured a narrow 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde in Miami on Friday.
Messi approached Martinez, who works for the broadcaster Telefe, in the post-match media area to exchange a greeting and his thoughts on their Round of 32 win.
Following a tentative hug and kiss on the cheek, the Inter Miami forward used the moment to dismiss the narratives surrounding their relationship.
‘When I look at you, they ask why I’m looking at you,’ Messi told Martinez in front of the gathered press, as reported by Bild.
‘And when I greet you, they ask why I’m greeting you,’ the Argentine captain added, effectively ridiculing the internet speculation.
‘These are all lies,’ the 33-year-old journalist replied, thanking the forward for clearing the air.
The public denial comes after Martinez recently revealed that Messi’s wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, personally reached out to her amid the media storm.
Martinez disclosed that the 38-year-old mother of three sent her a direct message to offer support and dismiss the jealousy rumors.
‘Sofi, don’t worry, ignore the nonsense,’ Roccuzzo wrote to the reporter, according to Martinez.
The rumors initially gained massive traction following Argentina’s semi-final victory over Croatia during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Martinez delivered an emotional monologue to Messi during a post-match interview, telling him that no tournament result could diminish the impact he had on the Argentine public.
Martinez had previously addressed the intense public scrutiny surrounding the speculation during an appearance on the Argentine television programme Podemos Hablar.
‘A lot of the time when your exposure increases, it brings things that aren’t so good and my family suffers a lot,’ Martinez stated.
‘This year, people began to talk more and more about, ‘What’s up with the way he looks at you,’ things like this, and I was caught in the middle of something that made me feel ridiculous to have to clarify.