Lionel Messi’s heated exchange with Rodrygo IN FULL revealed after the pair came together ahead of Argentina’s tense 1-0 win over Brazil
- The game was delayed by 27 minutes after trouble in the crowd before kick-off
- Re-live all the action from the Maracana as Argentina beat arch-rival Brazil 1-0
- Trent and Bellingham can play together but can’t get in each other’s way – IAKO
Amid all the tension and drama at the start of Brazil’s 1-0 defeat at home to Argentina on Tuesday, Lionel Messi and Rodrygo were spotted deep in conversation – and their exact words have now been revealed in full.
It is one of the game’s longest and fiercely fought rivalries, and Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier was no exception with as many as 22 fouls in the opening 45 minutes between the two old rivals.
But before a ball could even be kicked there was controversy, with kick-off delayed by 27 minutes after fights broke out in the crowd between Argentina and Brazil fans, with police wading in armed with batons.
As such, Albiceleste skipper Messi took his side back into their dressing-room to regroup after the unexpected start, before coming back out and being confronted with a less-than pleased Rodrygo.
The Real Madrid star went straight over to Inter Miami talisman Messi to tell the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner exactly what he thought of the decision to leave the field.
Lionel Messi (left) and Rodrygo (right) were seen exchanging heated words ahead of kick-off
It came after Argentina left the pitch following trouble in the crowd with fights breaking out
It was a fiercely-contested encounter, with 22 fouls committed in the opening 45 minutes alone
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‘You are acting like cowards, don’t you want to play the game?’ said the 22-year-old.
‘We are the World Champions, how are we cowards?’ Messi then responded. ‘Keep your mouth, watch your mouth, kid.’
But Rodrygo wasn’t done, firing back with: ‘Now let’s look at the game, you’ll see us there.’
‘Let’s see, come on, come on,’ responded Messi, having the final say in the bitter exchange.
It was Argentina who ultimately had the last laugh, with veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi netting in the 63rd minute with a towering header from a Giovanni Lo Celso corner.
Messi however had very little to do in the game, and was more or less marked out of the match for the first half by centre back duo Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes, although he would have a greater impact after the break.
Following the game, Lionel Messi launched a scathing attack on the Brazilian police, saying: ‘We saw how [police] were hitting the people, it already happened in the Libertadores final.
‘They were more focused on that than on the game.’
The Ballon d’Or winner was referring to the scenes at the Maracana before Rio-based Fluminense’s win over Argentine giants Boca Juniors earlier this month.
The iconic stadium hosted the final of the Copa Libertadores – the biggest continental club competition in South America – again against the backdrop of tension between fans from Argentina and Brazil.
Messi warned the younger Brazil star to ‘watch his mouth’ ahead of kick-off on Tuesday
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner claimed his side returned to the field to ‘make the situation more clam’.
Nicolas Otamendi scored the only goal of the game as Argentina silenced the Maracana
Brazilian police were seen firing rubber bullets at Boca Juniors fans on the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro in the prelude to the game.
After leaving the field on Tuesday, Argentina initially appeared to be refusing to return before CONMEBOL handed them a 15-minute deadline to get back out onto the pitch.
The reigning world champions insisted they would only return to the pitch once order had been restored and did so after spending over 20 minutes in the dressing room.
‘We went to the locker room because it was the best way to calm everything down, a tragedy could have happened,’ Messi explained. ‘We are a family. We decided to play to make the situation more calm.’
Armed police descended on the Copacabana beach and were seen throwing tear gas and firing rubber bullets
Boca Juniors fans traveled to Rio de Janeiro en masse with around 100,000 supporters ahead of the Copa Libertadores final
A fight broke out between Boca Juniors and Fluminense fans on Copacabana Beach, according to reports
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