Messi's wife Roccuzzo defends Argentina amid international criticism after World Cup final

Antonela Roccuzzo, wife of football superstar Lionel Messi, has broken her silence following Argentina's defeat in the 2026 World Cup final, addressing a viral anti-Argentina campaign that emerged during the tournament. After returning to Rosario from Miami to be with her family, Roccuzzo decided to speak out against the criticisms.

Her message, shared via Instagram, was a repost of a statement by Connie Ansaldi that read: "Proud to be ARGENTINA." The accompanying image featured the sentiment: "Argentina is like families: we fight amongst ourselves, but if someone from outside says something about us, we eat them alive." This post garnered significant attention, receiving likes from other notable figures like Valentina Cervantes (Enzo Fernández's partner), Bizarrap, and Eva De Dominici, alongside over 212,000 others.

The anti-Argentina sentiment intensified after the national team's loss to Spain in the World Cup final. What began as sports analysis quickly devolved into a smear campaign, with international celebrities and media figures questioning the country's character. Actor Samuel L. Jackson led some of the attacks, labeling Argentina the "most racist country in the world" on Instagram, while Pedro Pascal reportedly mocked the nation. Actress Mia Khalifa also criticized the team, calling them "dirty" and suggesting they favored "a colonial power" over their own players.

Further fueling the controversy, writer Arturo Pérez-Reverte stated on X that the team represented "the most violent and irrational part of a certain detestable society." The digital sphere amplified the conflict, notably when Niall Horan had to apologize after endorsing a post questioning Argentina's sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands. Journalists like Josep Pedrerol and publications such as The Telegraph also joined the critical narrative, focusing on the players' attitudes. Singer Rosalía also issued an apology after a controversial TikTok interaction, clarifying it was an unintentional navigation error.

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Argentina is like families: we fight amongst ourselves, but if someone from outside says something about us, we eat them alive.