Argentina secured two impressive wins in this month’s World Cup qualifiers despite missing their captain, Lionel Messi.
Messi is not someone who frequently posts on social media. However, after Argentina’s dominant 4-1 victory against Brazil, the World Cup-winning captain didn’t miss the chance to congratulate his teammates. At the same time, his message seemed to subtly respond to Brazilian forward Raphinha’s bold pre-match comments.
In these two qualifiers, Argentina was without several key players, including Messi, Lautaro Martinez, and Paulo Dybala. Yet, the world champions managed a 1-0 away win against Uruguay in the first match.
Before the highly anticipated Brazil clash on Wednesday morning (Bangladesh time), Argentina had already secured their spot in the 2026 World Cup. But that didn’t stop Lionel Scaloni’s men from putting on a show. They outclassed their arch-rivals with a commanding 4-1 victory on home soil.
Raphinha, who has been in fine form for Barcelona this season, had made some bold claims before the match. He confidently declared, “We will beat Argentina… definitely! We will crush them, on the pitch and, if needed, off the pitch as well. I will score… I’m giving it my all.”
After the match, Argentine players Enzo Fernandez and Julian Alvarez expressed their satisfaction in responding to Raphinha’s comments with their performance. Messi’s Instagram post seemed to carry a similar message.
“This national team always responds with football — on and off the pitch, no matter where. Congratulations on last night’s brilliant game and the win against Uruguay.”
It was not just a victory; it was a statement — a message that Argentina lets their football do the talking.
