The video of Messi repeatedly asking his teammates to “forget everything else” before the final has caused many people to question the internal atmosphere within Argentina.
A video capturing Lionel Messi’s words to his teammates before the 2026 World Cup final is attracting attention on social media. In it, the Argentina captain asked the whole team to stay calm and focus solely on football.
“Stay calm, boys. Forget everything else. Forget all of it. We just need to think about playing football, that’s it,” Messi said.
This could simply be familiar motivation before a big match. However, the fact that Messi repeatedly emphasized the phrase “forget everything else” has caused some to suspect that Argentina’s dressing room had issues before kickoff. Journalist Mehedi Marof believed that the video gave the feeling that something had occurred within the team, although he admitted to not having specific information.
“I don’t know how to interpret this. Seeing Messi asking everyone to stay calm and forget all other things, I feel like something happened in the dressing room,” Marof wrote.
He also noted that Argentina did not display their best form in the final. Many players looked lacking in energy, while others appeared tense and angry. “Argentina didn’t seem to play with everything they had. The players were either completely lifeless or full of rage. Things get even stranger when placed alongside Otamendi’s reaction to Rodri. I’m not implying a conspiracy from FIFA, but clearly something was not right,” Marof commented.
Suspicions spread further following Nicolas Otamendi’s harsh reaction to Rodri. Argentina’s veteran center-back lost his composure during an argument with the Spanish midfielder, in a match where the South American side was completely outplayed.
Argentina had no shots during the 90 regular minutes and barely created any pressure on Spain’s goal. Messi was isolated, rarely receiving the ball in a favorable position to turn or execute a decisive pass.
Even so, there is no evidence to show that Argentina’s dressing room actually experienced a conflict. Current assessments are merely speculation based on Messi’s words and the players’ demeanor in the final.
Messi’s message could also simply be an effort to help his teammates set aside pressure and external factors. At 39 years old, he clearly understands the tension before the biggest match of the tournament.
However, after a lackluster performance alongside the uncontrolled reactions of several players, that advice is now being viewed in a different light. Argentina entered the final as a tense, disjointed collective, lacking the energy that had once helped them overcome many difficult moments at the tournament.
