Argentine journalist Fede Rodas has claimed that one of Lionel Messi’s Argentina teammates leaked Lionel Scaloni’s starting XI for the 2022 World Cup final after being left out of the side.
According to Rodas, the same player also passed on details of an incident involving an injured teammate in training during the build-up to the final in Qatar.
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The player has not been named but the journalist described him as a top-class international, who could not accept that others in the squad were ahead of him.
Rodas claimed (h/t @AlbicelesteTalk):
“There was a top-class player in Argentina’s squad who was unhappy because he wasn’t playing as much as he wanted.
“That player leaked the starting XI for the World Cup final to me. He also leaked details of an incident involving an injured player during training.
“He was a great player, but there were others better than him, and he couldn’t accept it. His attitude was basically: ‘Oh, you’re not going to play me? Then I’ll leak your lineup.’”
Scaloni’s team selection for the final against France in Lusail brought Ángel Di María in for Leandro Paredes, the only change from the semi-final win over Croatia.
Argentina led 2-0 through Lionel Messi’s penalty and Di María’s finish, before Kylian Mbappe struck twice to make it 2-2. La Albiceleste went ahead again when Lionel Messi scored in extra time but Mbappe completed his hat-trick to force the game into penalties.
Thanks to Emiliano Martinez, Argentina won the shootout 4-2 to become world champions.
Lionel Messi enjoyed dream run at the 2022 World Cup alongside Argentina teammates
Lionel Messi finished the 2022 FIFA World Cup with seven goals and three assists in seven matches and won the Golden Ball award. He scored in six of those games, twice in the final, and also converted his penalty in the shootout win over France.
Qatar was his fifth World Cup and the one that finally delivered the trophy, eight years after the defeat to Germany in Brazil. En route to the crowning moment in the final, there were a few defining moments like the low strike against Mexico that broke open a tense second group game, and the pass for Nahuel Molina in the quarter-final against the Netherlands. Fans will also remember his performance in the semi-final against Croatia for a long time.
Lionel Messi was back in a World Cup final in 2026, but Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in extra time. He retired from international football in August.
Edited by Nived Zenith
