Argentina and Colombia drew 1-1 on Matchday 16 of the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers. In the 70th minute, Enzo Fernández was sent off, which completely changed the flow of the game—and sparked a tense exchange between Lionel Messi and James Rodríguez.
Broadcast cameras caught the moment Messi made a sharp comment to the Colombian midfielder, who looked stunned by what he heard. “Why? I didn’t say anything,” James replied.
“You said I helped you in the final, you talk too much…,” Messi replied.
This is connect the clash to James Rodríguez’s remarks after the 2024 Copa América final, in which Argentina defeated Colombia to win the title. During an interview with Edu Aguirre, James had said: “I think the referee had a big influence. He favored Argentina. There were one or two penalties not called, one of them was clear. (Still) those aren’t excuses to say they only won because of that.”
However, on Tuesday, there wasn’t any specific play between James and Messi that could explain the confrontation, which took place in the 72nd minute while the game was paused. Messi didn’t seem to be reacting to a hard tackle, and James looked genuinely surprised, judging by his gestures. No handshakes or respectful nods were exchanged between the two captains. Instead, tension simmered beneath the surface, finally erupting in full view of over 80,000 fans at El Monumental.
James Rodríguez spoke after the match
Once the match was over, James Rodríguez spoke briefly with journalists and commented on his exchange with Messi. The Colombian player said, “What happens on the field stays on the field,” without wanting to respond or add anything further to the exchange.
Another heated moment after the final whistle
There was another confrontation, this time more aggressive and with insults flying. Nicolás Otamendi and Richard Ríos clashed at the center circle after the game ended.
The Benfica defender targeted the Colombian midfielder over the headband he wore during the match. “Take off the headband, clown,” Otamendi reportedly said, as players from both sides surrounded them in a tense post-game standoff.
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