A viral video on social media raises doubts about the Torino striker, but he denies it. Messi: ‘If I talk about it, he will become famous worldwide.’
At the 70th minute of the Argentina-Paraguay match, a game valid for the World Cup 2026 qualifications, Torino’s Sanabria entered the field when the score was already 1-0 in favor of Albiceleste.
The Toro striker failed to make a significant impact, and Scaloni‘s national team won by a narrow margin. However, Sanabria has unwittingly become the center of a controversial incident that is circulating on the web.
The Alleged Spitting Incident by Sanabria at Messi
A viral video on social media shows Sanabria allegedly spitting at Messi. Both players have their backs to the camera, and the dynamics are not clear, but it has cast the Torino center-forward into a storm. In the video, Messi appears to say something to Sanabria as he passes by, then he turns around and, it seems, is hit by a spitting gesture.
Messi’s Reaction
Messi responded to the incident in the post-match interview: ‘The truth is I didn’t see it. They told me in the dressing room that one of them spat at me, but I don’t know who it was, and if I talk about it, they’ll become famous worldwide.’
Sanabria’s Denial
“A feud with Messi? No, no, it’s just things that happen on the field, nothing more. Is there a video? Yes, I’ve seen the footage. It appears as though I spat at him, but it’s not the case; he was far away. I totally deny it,” said Sanabria, denying the accusations. What really happened remains unclear.