Lionel Messi has publicly addressed ongoing rumors of a romantic affair with Argentine television reporter Sofi Martinez, dismissing the speculation after Argentina's recent victory. The Inter Miami forward approached Martinez in the post-match media area following Argentina's 3-2 extra-time win over Cape Verde in Miami.
"When I look at you, they ask why I'm looking at you. And when I greet you, they ask why I'm greeting you," Messi told Martinez, appearing to ridicule the internet speculation. Martinez responded, "These are all lies," thanking the forward for clarifying the situation.
The public denial follows recent revelations that Messi's wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, had personally reached out to Martinez amid the media storm. Martinez disclosed that Roccuzzo sent her a direct message offering support and dismissing jealousy rumors, reportedly saying, "Sofi, don't worry, ignore the nonsense."
The rumors initially gained significant attention after a post-match interview following Argentina's semi-final victory over Croatia during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. During that interaction, Martinez delivered an emotional address to Messi about his impact on the Argentine public, which sparked unfounded fan theories.
Martinez previously spoke about the intense scrutiny, stating on the Argentine television program 'Podemos Hablar' that "my family suffers a lot" from the unfounded stories. She argued that she became a target for such rumors due to her gender, suggesting male reporters would not face similar speculation.
A colleague of Martinez backed her stance, telling BILD, "Sofi is a very calm person, she wants nothing to do with this whole drama." The journalist added, "Messi's life is so orderly that some people simply have to invent scandals."
Messi, 39, has been married to childhood sweetheart Antonela Roccuzzo since 2017. They have three sons: Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro. Martinez, 33, has continued to cross paths with Messi at major sporting events, including the Ballon d'Or ceremony and the Copa America. Martinez's relationship status has also been a subject of media attention, with reports of her split from fellow journalist Diego Leuco at the end of 2023 and further romance rumors linking her to TV personality Marcos Ginocchio.