Lionel Messi congratulates Argentina for derby wins vs Brazil, Uruguay with subtle shot at Raphinha

Lionel Messi reacts to Argentina’s victories over Brazil and Uruguay, sharing a message that sparked intrigue after a bold pre-match statement from Raphinha.

Argentina delivered a resounding 4-1 victory over Brazil in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, showcasing their dominance even in the absence of key stars like Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martínez.

The match, held at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, cemented Argentina’s status as the reigning world champion and extended Brazil’s struggles in the qualifiers.

Coming off a hard-fought 1-0 win over Uruguay, Argentina faced Brazil with confidence. Despite missing Lionel Messi due to injury, as well as Lautaro Martínez, the team showed no signs of slowing down. Thiago Almada stepped up, scoring a crucial goal to keep Argentina’s momentum alive.

Messi’s reaction and a subtle dig at Raphinha

Though sidelined for this international window, Messi closely followed Argentina’s performances. After the emphatic win over Brazil, he took to Instagram to congratulate his teammates: “Inside, outside, wherever it may be with this National Team. Always speaking through soccer”.

“Congratulations on the great match you played last night and also on the win against Uruguay”. Messi’s words carried an air of unity and pride, but also seemed to include a subtle jab at Brazil’s Raphinha.

Raphinha’s bold claim backfires

Before the match, Barcelona’s Raphinha had made a confident – and now infamous – statement in an interview with Brazilian legend Romário. He boldly declared:

“We’re going to give Argentina a beating, no doubt. Am I going to score? Yes. With everything. Screw them.”

His comments did not go unnoticed, particularly by Ángel Di María, who responded with a pointed Instagram comment. However, it was Argentina’s performance on the pitch that delivered the most resounding response, leaving Raphinha and Brazil stunned.

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Credit: Bolavip US