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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>All-time great in qualification action</li><li>Stepped off the bench after nursing knock</li><li>Focused on picking up three points</li></ul>

‘I don’t know who this guy is’ - Lionel Messi refuses to make Paraguay rival famous after being spat at during Argentina's latest 2026 World Cup qualifier

Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/mls-rival-lionel-messi-injury-argentina-world-cup-qualifier/blt53b78355f00f744c" target="_blank">Messi started that game on the bench</a>, as he has been nursing an injury since the last international break, but was introduced in the 53rd minute. That was enough time for him to come close to scoring on a couple of occasions, but an <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/lionel-messi-argentina-paraguay-player-ratings/blta4a1f6c04ffd1842" target="_blank">early effort from Nicolas Otamendi ended up settling a tight contest</a>.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Messi was involved in one unfortunate incident that saw Paraguay striker Sanabria spit in his direction, but the World Cup winner was unaware of those actions at the time and refused to be dragged into a debate regarding them afterwards for fear of giving “importance” to a player that he claims to know nothing about.<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🇦🇷🗣️ LA OPINIÓN DE MESSI SOBRE EL ESCUPITAJO DE SANABRIA 🎙️ "No lo vi, me dijeron en el vestuario que uno de ellos me había escupido. No sé ni quién es el chico este. Tampoco quiero darle importancia, sino ahora va a salir a hablar en todos lados y es peor, se va a hacer… <a href="https://t.co/OYkNmxE6br">pic.twitter.com/OYkNmxE6br</a>— TyC Sports (@TyCSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/TyCSports/status/1712661326449827957?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Messi told <a href="https://www.tycsports.com/seleccion-argentina/messi-escupitajo-argentina-paraguay-sanabria-eliminatorias-sudamericanas-id541044.html" target="_blank">TyC Sports</a> of the spitting saga: “My team-mates told me about it in the locker room. It is better to leave the issue alone.”The all-time great added: “I don't know who this guy is and I don't want to give him importance either, because if he gets that he's going to go out and talk everywhere and he becomes known.”Messi preferred to discuss the fact that he was able to get more game time under his belt after seeing just 72 minutes of action for Inter Miami since last turning out for his country. The iconic 36-year-old added: “I'm happy to play again and add minutes. It is always difficult to enter and even more so in such a tight game. The important thing is that we won and at times we played very well, especially in the first half.”

WHAT THEY SAID

Argentina will be back in 2026 World Cup qualifying action next Tuesday when taking in a trip to Peru, with there a chance that Messi has already <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/will-lionel-messi-play-inter-miami-again-2023-tata-martino-plans-two-mls-games-play-off-failure/blt28ced1464e3f8aa9" target="_blank">played his last domestic minutes of the season for Inter Miami</a> – as they have missed out on the MLS play-offs.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

‘I don’t know who this guy is’ - Lionel Messi refuses to make Paraguay rival famous after being spat at during Argentina's latest 2026 World Cup qualifier | Goal.com

Lionel Messi is reluctant to make Antonio Sanabria famous by discussing a spitting incident that occurred during Argentina’s win over Paraguay.

‘I don’t know who this guy is’ - Lionel Messi refuses to make Paraguay rival famous after being spat at during Argentina&apos;s latest 2026 World Cup qualifier