Lionel Messi accused of threatening fellow Argentine over international call-up

Pedro de la Vega has only played for the national team at the youth level (U23).

Lionel Messi has come under fire for reportedly trying to prevent a fellow Argentine from being called up for his nation. The former FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player got into a heated argument with the Seattle Sounders player Pedro de la Vega during Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup final matchup.

Miami ultimately lost 3-0, and by the final whistle, resentment had erupted. Messi and Pedro de la Vega, an Argentine youth international, got into a heated argument, with Rodrigo De Paul at the centre of it.

Messi threatened a fellow Argentine with no international matches

And what Messi supposedly stated has now been made public. Alan Gordon, a former Major League Soccer player, claims that Leo had pledged to exclude De la Vega from any future national team selection.

Speaking on the Major League Journeymen podcast, he said: “Messi told him – remember when they got into a little scuffle during the game. Messi told him to his face ‘You will never play for the national team as long as I am involved.’ He basically blackballed him on the field. This happened. That is disgusting to me.”

Since then, De La Vega has made a statement. Additionally, he has tried to defuse the situation by saying that the argument was a normal part of the game, even though he did not disclose what Messi said.

He said: “Messi and [Rodrigo] De Paul? They are the greatest. They are world champions, and they are my idols. The clash was just part of the game. I tried to stay focused and not take it personally. Facing them as an Argentine carries a different kind of pressure.”

Naturally, Messi was included on Lionel Scaloni’s most recent Argentina roster. Additionally, it can be a sentimental moment for the forward as he gets ready to play Venezuela in his last World Cup qualifying match in Buenos Aires.

Also read: Will Lionel Messi play tonight for Argentina vs Venezuela in World Cup Qualifiers?

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