Argentina’s football team will no longer entertain the media, following false accusations hurled at one of its players.
It’s one thing to criticize a football team’s performance, and another to hurl accusations at its players, as the media found out today.
Reporter Gabriel Anello had suggested that Lavezzi was dropped from the squad because he was caught smoking marijuana at the team’s training camp, but Lavezzi himself denounced those claims and promised to take legal action.
Still, the accusation proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, as Argentinian captain Lionel Messi announced at the post-match conference that his team will no longer speak to the media for the foreseeable future.
“We were accused a lot. No respect was being shown and we never said anything. But this accusation against Lavezzi was it,” he said. “If we don’t stop it today, we’ll never stop it. We know that you will continue to criticize us, that’s fine. However, some got into our personal lives.”
Argentina had just won its 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifer against Colombia, its first win since a 0-3 loss to Brazil last week.
It now stands in fifth place in the South American qualification table, and needs to move up at least one position to secure a spot in the next World Cup.
Keeping the media at arm’s length could be exactly what Argentina needs to stay focused on the game and make it to the grandest stage in international football.
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