Sofía Martinez, an ESPN reporter, had to speak out about an alleged “flirt” that reportedly occurred between her and player Lionel Messi.
The Argentine journalist, who called the rumors “ridiculous,” also shared how they are affecting her and her family. “Often, when your exposure increases, it brings things that are not so good, and my family suffers a lot,” she said to the channel Telefe.
“This year, people started talking more and more about: ‘What is with the way he looks at you?’, things like that, and I was caught in the middle of something that made me feel ridiculous for having to clarify it,” she continued during her appearance on the program PH: Podemos Hablar.
Martinez suggested that it is her gender that leads fans to ask questions about her interactions with Messi, explaining that this wouldn’t happen if a male reporter were asking questions to the Inter Miami star.
Messi has been married to Antonela Roccuzzo, 36, since 2017, and they have three children together: Thiago, 12; Mateo, 9; and Ciro, 6. It is believed that they have been together since 2009, though they were childhood friends.
Photo and video: Instagram @sofimmartinez. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.