Ramos and 3 Famous Football Stars Lionel Messi Has Insulted Over the Years
- Football is a sport rich with high emotions, and players frequently express their frustration with expletives during matches
- Even Argentine forward, Lionel Messi, renowned for his skill and composure, is not immune to this behaviour and has been known to vocalise his frustrations toward opponents
- In light of this, we examine a list of football stars who have been on the receiving end of the Inter Miami maestro's verbal barbs throughout his illustrious career
Often, Lionel Messi is described as a very calm and quiet individual who usually lets his football do the talking on the field.
The Argentine maestro, who is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever grace the beautiful game, often finds himself on the receiving end of aggressive play and tackles that leave him frustrated.
The mercurial attacker, however, and sometimes to the surprise of many, often ends up hurling expletives like any other player on the field.
Source: Getty Images
On occasions, such as during the 2022 FIFA World Cup match against the Netherlands, the 37-year-old takes things a notch higher and subtly instigates confrontations to express his emotions.
While this side of Messi may seem unusual given his typically composed image, it’s worth noting that the Argentine forward has a history of directing sharp words at opponents.
With this in mind, we highlight a list of football stars who have been on the receiving end of Messi’s insults in recent years.
Players Messi has insulted in recent times
Sergio Ramos
The former Real Madrid star is undoubtedly one of the players who has most frequently gotten under the skin of the Argentine maestro. In their numerous El Clásico encounters, both players often exchanged words and shoves.
However, one standout moment from their decade-long rivalry occurred during the 2017 Spanish Super Cup.
According to Planet Football, in the second leg of the match, Messi attempted to take a quick free kick by retrieving the ball from Ramos. Instead, Ramos held the ball out for Messi but then threw it over his head at the last moment.
Frustrated, Messi responded with an insulting expletive directed at Ramos.
James Milner
In 2019, Liverpool orchestrated one of the most remarkable comebacks in football history, overturning a 3-0 deficit from the Camp Nou to defeat Barcelona 4-0 at Anfield and secure a place in the Champions League Final.
During the first leg at Camp Nou, the Reds struggled to contain Messi, despite their best efforts. Andy Robertson gave him a light nudge to the back of the head, and James Milner physically challenged him into touch on several occasions. Messi, visibly frustrated by the rough treatment, referred to Milner as a "donkey" in his irritation.
Wout Weghorst
The 2022 World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and the Netherlands was a match for the ages, marked by aggression and intense emotions. Referee, Mateu Lahoz, handed out a staggering number of yellow cards, with the tension on the pitch spilling over into double digits.
The Dutch had stoked the fire before the game with pre-match comments aimed at unsettling the Argentine players.
They spoke of settling old scores from previous encounters, claimed Messi was ineffective without the ball, and goalkeeper Andries Noppert even expressed confidence in stopping Messi if the game went to penalties.
In the 70th minute, Messi scored a crucial penalty to put Argentina 2-0 ahead, celebrating by cupping his ears in front of the Dutch bench and manager Louis van Gaal.
After Argentina's dramatic victory, Messi had another fiery moment, directing a now-famous expletive at Wout Weghorst during a post-match interview—one of the most viral moments of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Buffon 'settles' Ronaldo vs Messi GOAT debate
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Italian football legend Gianluigi Buffon shared his insights on the ongoing GOAT debate between Messi and Ronaldo.
Buffon offered a thoughtful analysis of the two icons, highlighting their contrasting playing styles.
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Source: Legit.ng
