Messi publicly dismisses affair rumours with journalist as wife Antonela backs her too

Lionel Messi and his wife Antonela Roccuzzo have both moved to publicly and privately support Telefe journalist Sofi Martinez, who has been the subject of unfounded online rumours linking her romantically with the Argentina captain at the 2026 World Cup.

Following Argentina’s last-32 victory over Cape Verde, Messi sought Martinez out among the assembled press pack and addressed the speculation directly, with a grin. “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,” he told her, in full view of other reporters. Martinez replied: “These are all lies.”

Antonela Roccuzzo, Messi’s wife and mother of their three children, also reached out to Martinez privately. Martinez disclosed the contents of the message, which read: “Sofi, don’t worry, ignore the nonsense.”

The rumours are not new. They first gained traction during Argentina’s triumphant World Cup campaign in Qatar in 2022 and have resurfaced since. Martinez has previously spoken about the personal cost of the speculation, telling Argentina’s Podemos Hablar show: “A lot of the time when your exposure increases, it brings things that aren’t so good and my family suffers a lot. This year, people began to talk more and more about, ‘What’s up with the way he looks at you,’ things like this, and I was caught in the middle of something that made me feel ridiculous to have to clarify.”

Martinez has also suggested she has been targeted because of her gender. A colleague, speaking anonymously to German publication Bild, defended her character: “Sofi is a very calm person. She wants nothing to do with this whole drama. Messi’s life is so orderly that some people simply have to invent scandals.”

On the pitch, Messi, 39, has been in formidable form across what is widely expected to be his final World Cup, scoring seven goals in the group stage to bring his overall World Cup tally to 20. Argentina face Egypt in the last 16 on Tuesday, with England a potential semi-final opponent should both sides advance.