Alejandro Garnacho has responded to allegations that he ‘ignored’ Lionel Messi during the recent Copa America tournament.
Argentina, which won the Copa America trophy by defeating Colombia in the final, included Garnacho in their victorious squad.
Despite making only one appearance for Argentina, playing 66 minutes in a group stage win over Peru, Garnacho maintained his status as one of the few footballers to have played alongside both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Garnacho’s admiration for Ronaldo is well-documented, having famously copied Ronaldo’s goal celebration after scoring his first senior goal for Manchester United against Real Sociedad in November 2022.
His brief stint as Ronaldo’s teammate at Old Trafford further cemented this admiration.
However, some fans believe that Garnacho does not share the same enthusiasm for playing alongside Messi.
This sentiment was expressed by a social media user who accused Alejandro Garnacho of ‘ignoring’ Messi after Messi came off injured during the Copa America final.
Garnacho rebutted this claim by sharing an image of him with his arm around Messi after the final whistle, both players smiling.
This response aimed to dispel any notion of animosity or lack of respect towards Messi.
Angel Di Maria, another player who has had the privilege of sharing the pitch with both Ronaldo and Messi, praised Garnacho earlier this year.
Di Maria described Garnacho as “a very fast player” with “incredible ability,” emphasizing the significant potential for growth with experience.
Di Maria also pointed out the importance of learning and improving within the national team, suggesting that Garnacho’s future depends largely on his mindset and ability to handle pressure.
He added, “There’s a reason he’s playing for Manchester United,” underscoring Garnacho’s talent and potential.
