Rodrigo De Paul's father breaks his silence and reveals the hidden truth about Messi's pep talk

Social media exploded after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final due to some allegedly suspicious words from Lionel Messi in the locker room.

The recent defeat of the Argentina National Team against the Spanish side unleashed a full-blown media storm that went beyond the field of play. However, one detail in particular captured the attention of the global public: the leak of Lionel Messi's pre-match rallying speech, in which he uttered the enigmatic phrase "let's forget everything" before taking the field.

From that moment on, digital platforms were flooded with speculation and far-fetched theories suggesting that the national team "could not win" the tournament held in the United States. The situation reached such a level of impact that the Argentine stars' own family members had to intervene publicly to stop the rumors, according to a report published by Infobae.

Fury and denial from within the family

One of the first to react vehemently was Roberto De Paul, father of midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, who broke his silence in an interview given to the radio station Radio con Vos (FM 89.9). During his appearance on the program La inmensa minoría, he described as "made up" all the versions circulating online about an alleged pact or fixed outcome.

"I don't believe in all those things; I think a lot of that is made up. I don't believe a player prepares for years so that someone can come along and say you have to lose," Roberto De Paul stated bluntly. The footballer's father also lamented how statements are manipulated on digital platforms, noting that "they take words out of context" to fuel artificial controversies.

The logic of doubt in the media

To the stream of responses, Carlos Mac Allister, former Boca Juniors defender and father of midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, also weighed in, in statements given to Radio La Red (AM 910). The former public official questioned the attitude of certain sectors of the press and public opinion in seeking hidden motives behind a simple sporting result.

For Mac Allister, many sectors find it extremely difficult to accept that in high-performance sports there is simply "a team that played better than you". He even admitted to having asked his son directly about whether there had been any internal problem in the locker room before playing the World Cup final.

The truth behind Messi's phrase

Alexis Mac Allister's response to his father cleared up any shadow of suspicion over the Rosario captain's message. As the Liverpool footballer himself explained to those close to him, Messi's words were solely and exclusively in response to a 100% football-related concept aimed at relieving the team's tactical pressure.

The indication of the "10" pointed to going out onto the field to move the ball around, creating triangles and avoiding fifty-fifty long balls, instead of burdening themselves with off-field pressure. In this way, any malicious interpretation about alleged external pressure or interference during halftime was ruled out.

Scaloni's unease over the rumors

For his part, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni was also not spared questions about the atmosphere in the locker room during the post-match press conference. The World Cup-winning manager appeared noticeably surprised and unsettled when he was approached by journalists about the social media rumors.

"I don't know, I don't see social media, guys. I have no idea about this you're telling me", replied the strategist from Pujato bluntly. Scaloni reacted with disbelief at the insistence on alleged internal conflicts, finishing with a forceful: "I can't believe what you're asking me".

The pain and Rodrigo De Paul's future

In another part of the radio interview, Roberto De Paul addressed his son's emotional state after failing to achieve the greatest glory on U.S. soil. The footballer's father revealed that he preferred not to overwhelm him after the final whistle so as to allow him to "grieve" alone before meeting up again.

Likewise, when asked about the midfielder's continuity in the Argentine National Team cycle—after figures like Emiliano "Dibu" Martinez had left certain doubts in the air—, Roberto called for caution. He assured that the footballer always gives his all for the national jersey and that it is far too premature to make drastic decisions.

Forceful statement on social media

Beyond his father's statements, Rodrigo De Paul himself broke the silence through an emotional post on his official Instagram account. The former Atlético de Madrid player directly targeted those who fueled the conspiracy theories throughout the entire continental tournament.

"I see how many people were waiting for this downfall, spreading unfounded conspiracies throughout the World Cup to soothe someone else's pain," De Paul wrote in his message. The footballer concluded by stating that, despite the deep pain of not bringing the trophy to his country, he feels prouder than ever to represent Argentina.