Lionel Messi, widely celebrated as one of football’s all-time greats with eight Ballon d’Or awards and a World Cup title, has consistently found his illustrious career accompanied by claims of receiving special treatment. These allegations span from his formative years at Barcelona to his leadership of Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final.
World Cup 2026 controversy
The scrutiny intensified during the 2026 World Cup, where Messi, at 39 years old, guided Argentina to the final. Reports from GiveMeSport suggested that FIFA harbored a desire for the Inter Milan star and his national team to advance deep into the tournament, allegedly for marketing purposes. These claims gained traction after Argentina’s Round of 16 victory over Egypt.
Following the defeat, Egypt manager Hossam Hassan openly accused the tournament of being compromised. “They want Argentina and Messi to stay in the World Cup for marketing,” Hassan stated. “If they wanted Argentina to win, why invite other teams to participate? This match was clearly rigged, and the whole world witnessed it.” FIFA, however, swiftly denied any suggestions of match-fixing designed to favor Argentina.
Barcelona training ground dynamics
The narrative of preferential treatment isn’t new for Messi. It echoes sentiments from his early career, as revealed by former Barcelona teammate Jeffren Suarez. Suarez, who spent three senior seasons with Barcelona between 2008 and 2011, sharing the pitch with Messi on 18 occasions and winning three La Liga titles and the 2011 Champions League, offered insights into the dynamics surrounding the Argentine forward.
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Speaking in 2025 to Helado Oscuro (via World Soccer Talk), Suarez detailed how Messi was afforded unique protection during training sessions. “You couldn’t touch Messi and there were a lot of problems with that,” Suarez explained. “If you went in hard during training, people would look at you funny. Or he would say something himself. It was like, ‘Hey, what are you doing? Be careful.’” He further elaborated on the locker room environment, noting, “No one dared to go in hard on him, of course.”
Suarez also posited that Messi’s legendary status was significantly bolstered by the caliber of his teammates, particularly during his time at Barcelona. “It’s like if Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta hadn’t played with Messi, Messi wouldn’t be who he is,” Suarez commented, drawing a comparison to Messi’s subsequent move to PSG. While at PSG, Messi recorded 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 games, winning Ligue 1 in each of his seasons before retiring in 2024 after a stint with Chiangmai United in Thailand.
These persistent claims highlight the intense scrutiny and unique environment that has surrounded Lionel Messi throughout his unparalleled career, from the training pitches of Catalonia to the grandest stages of international football.
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