'Lionel Messi won that for you!' - Ex-Real Madrid star Wesley Sneijder roasts 'childish' Nicolas Otamendi for taunting Vinicius Junior with World Cup tattoo

The Champions League clash descended into controversy, as a series of incidents on and off the pitch brought the match to a temporary halt. Play was stopped for around 10 minutes after Vinicius became embroiled in a heated altercation with Benfica supporters. The situation intensified when allegations emerged that Benfica’s young midfielder, Gianluca Prestianni, had directed racist remarks toward the Brazilian star, sparking outrage among players and fans alike.

The confrontation did not end there, as several of Vinicius’ Real Madrid teammates rushed to his side, escalating tensions further. Kylian Mbappe was reportedly seen confronting Prestianni directly, accusing him of racist behaviour. The incident quickly drew widespread attention on social media, with supporters and pundits debating the events as the drama unfolded both on the pitch and in the stands.

While players clashed amid the racism protocol stoppage, Otamendi flexed his World Cup, Finalissima and Copa America tattoos in Vinicius’ face, turning a tense moment into comedy gold for the former Madrid man.

Speaking after the match, Sneijder was left baffled by the veteran's decision to resort to such tactics while his team was trailing in the match. The Dutchman questioned the mental state of the Benfica captain, suggesting that the display was beneath a player of his experience. The 1-0 victory for the reigning European champions apparently wasn't enough satisfaction for Sneijder, who felt the need to defend the club's current number seven.

“Is he alright in the head?” Sneijder asked. “And if I was Vinicius, I would have responded with: ‘Messi won that World Cup for you, you had nothing to do with it.’” The former Inter playmaker clearly felt that Otamendi’s attempt to claim superiority based on Argentina's success was flawed, given the monumental role Lionel Messi played in those victories compared to the central defender.

Sneijder continued his verbal assault by highlighting the discrepancy in European club honours between the two players. While Otamendi may have the international silverware, Vinicius has become a modern icon of the Champions League, scoring in multiple finals and lifting the trophy on several occasions with the Spanish giants. Sneijder suggested that Otamendi’s attempt to flex was misplaced given the setting of the competition.

He then hammered the point home: “Why is he doing this to a Real Madrid player? Does he have any idea how many Champions League titles Vinicius has won? And he is showing him trophies?” 

The match itself was decided by a second-half strike from Vinicius, assisted by Kylian Mbappe, but the football was often overshadowed by the friction between the two sets of players. Beyond the individual spat involving Otamendi, the game was plagued by accusations of racist abuse directed at Vinicius, leading to a temporary halt in play and several bookings as tempers flared between the rival squads.

The fallout from the incident continues to dominate headlines across Europe, with Sneijder’s comments reflecting a wider sentiment that the veteran defender's actions were unnecessary. As Benfica struggled to contain the Madrid attack, Sneijder concluded that the "super childish" antics were a sign of frustration from a side that simply could not handle the quality of the Brazilian international on the night.