- Argentina suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Uruguay in World Cup qualifying
- Lionel Messi hit out at Uruguay for showing a lack of respect during the match
- Southgate’s loyalty to his players is an issue and a weakness – It’s All Kicking Off
Lionel Messi has insisted Uruguay need to ‘learn respect’ after Argentina fell to a 2-0 defeat in a bad tempered qualifier for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ronald Araujo and Darwin Nunez struck for Uruguay as Marcelo Bielsa’s side upset the hosts in Buenos Aires.
The defeat ended Argentina’s 14-match unbeaten run which stretched back to their group stage defeat to Saudi Arabia at the World Cup, before going on to lift the trophy.
Several clashes occurred during the match with Messi seen putting his hands on the throat of Uruguay defender Mathias Olivera.
The first-half saw a clash between Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte and Rodrigo de Paul, with the the former alleged to have accused the Argentine of being a ‘suck up’ to Lionel Messi’.
Lionel Messi and Argentina saw their unbeaten run ended up Uruguay in a bad-tempered game
Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte was seen making an obscene gesture to Rodrigo de Paul
Messi claimed post-match that Uruguay needed to learn respect after the bad tempered clash
Ugarte then made an obscene gesture and pointed to Messi, prompting an angry reaction from De Paul.
Messi hit back at Uruguay post match with the Ballon D’Or winner insisting their South American rivals needed to ‘learn respect’.
‘These kinds of games, qualifiers, against Uruguay, it’s always like that,’ Messi told reporters.
‘I prefer not to say what I think. Young people have to learn to respect from their elders.
‘These games are always intense but very respectful, so they have to learn a little.’
The defeat was Argentina’s first at home since losing home since falling 1-0 to Paraguay in 2016, also during World Cup qualifying.
Argentina had not lost at La Bombonera since a 3-1 loss to Germany in a friendly in 1977.
Messi had avoided being sent off for put his hands around the throat of Mathias Olivera
Argentina lost 2-0 to their rivals – their first loss at La Bombonera since a 1977 friendly
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez was on target for Uruguay in a memorable win over Argentina
The world champions remain top of the World Cup qualifying standings in South America, with 12 points from five matches.
Uruguay moved up to scored following their victory with Bielsa’s side on 10 points, followed by Colombia and Venezuela on nine and eight, respectively.
Argentina will travel to face arch-rivals Brazil on November 21, with the hosts having suffered successive defeats to lie fifth in the standings.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk