Saul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez has been the talk of Twitter following his native Mexico’s World Cup match against Argentina.
In a bizarre turn of events, Canelo wasn’t calling out another fighter, rather a football icon in Lionel Messi. Messi’s Argentina beat their opponents two-nil, with the man himself making the scoresheet.
Following the victory, a video of the Argentinians was posted to social media showing the dressing room celebrations. Messi touches a Mexico top – presumably one he swapped with an opposing player after 90 minutes – with his foot.
Canelo, already annoyed by the result, didn’t take it well.
“Did you guys see Messi cleaning the floor with our jersey and flag, He better pray to God that I don’t find him.”
“Just like I respect Argentina, he has to respect Mexico! I’m not talking about the country as a whole, just about the bulls**t that Messi did.”
Many people on social media quickly came to the footballer’s defence, though, with most agreeing that nothing he did was intended to disrespect a country.
Messi’s countryman and former teammate, Sergio Aguero, waded into the argument to explain that shirts are on the ground in dressing rooms after every game.
“Mr Canelo, don’t look for excuses or problems, surely you don’t know about soccer and what happens in a locker room.”
“The shirts are always on the floor after the games are over due to sweat and then if you see well, he makes the movement to remove the boot and accidentally hits it.”
Following Aguero’s intervention, Spains Cesc Fabregas also got involved, telling Álvarez that he didn’t know what he was talking about.
“You neither know the person nor do you understand how a locker room works or what happens after a game.”
“All T-shirts, even the ones we wear ourselves, go on the floor and are washed afterwards. And more when you celebrate an important victory.”
In boxing terms, it looks like a 10-8 round to the footballers. Canelo is currently recovering from surgery on his left wrist, and looks set to return to the ring in May of 2023.