Messi, Rodriguez Clash in Qualifier Draw

Lionel Messi and James Rodriguez were involved in a heated confrontation during Argentina's 1-1 World Cup qualifier draw with Colombia, stemming from lingering tensions after Argentina's 1-0 win in the 2024 Copa America final. Messi confronted Rodriguez over his post-final comments suggesting Argentina benefited from officiating and external factors, including unawarded penalties and questionable VAR decisions. During the exchange, Messi reportedly accused Rodriguez of claiming 'they helped us in the final,' which Rodriguez denied. On the field, Colombia took an early lead through Luis Diaz before Thiago Almada equalized for Argentina, and Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a dangerous foul. The clash between Messi and Rodriguez drew significant online attention and overshadowed the match itself. After the game, Rodriguez declined to discuss the incident further, saying, 'What happens on the pitch stays on the pitch.'