Messi: Sanabria Responds to Allegedly Spitting on Argentine Star

• Paraguay's Antonio Sanabria has maintained that he did not spit on Lionel Messi
• The incident is claimed to have happened during their World Cup qualifier match
• The Argentine had a brutal comment after the game during the press conference

Paraguay striker, Antonio Sanabria has come out to strongly deny claims that he spat on Lionel Messi.

He has been in the headlines following his country's clash against Argentina in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Buenos Aires on October 13.

Nicolas Otamendi scored the sole goal of the game to ensure the defending football world champions maintained their perfect start to the qualifiers.

Messi featured for less than 35 minutes, replacing Julian Alvarez in the second half.

The Argentine skipper was involved in a tiff with Sanabria, with camera angles appearing to show the Torino striker spitting in the veteran's direction after his back was turned.

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Sanabria has since come forward to rebuff the claims.

"No, I didn't, just things that happen in a game. I saw the footage, it seems like I'm spitting on Messi, but, no, not at all, he’s far away. The footage is seen from behind and, it seems like I'm spitting, but no, nothing," he said, as reported by Sportskeeda.

What Messi said about the incident

Speaking after the game, as Sports Brief reported, Messi aimed a sharp dig at Sanabria during the post-match press conference.

He said he did not know at that time he had been spat on but also did not want to make the Paraguayan 'known' by responding.

"They told me in the locker room that someone spat on me. The truth is that I don't even know who that boy is. I prefer not to talk," Messi retorted.

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Messi declines to take armband from Otamendi

As Sports Brief previously reported, Otamendi started as the side's captain, with the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner watching from the subs bench.

As he was being introduced for Argentina, the skipper made a gesture to the Benfica defender implying Messi wasn't interested in the armband.

However, the former Manchester City star declined the offer and ended up 'forcing' the armband on him as they shared a great moment together.