"I admire her a lot for how she handles the madness” – Sofi Martinez on reports of Lionel Messi’s wife Antonela Roccuzzo being jealous at her
Journalist Sofi Martinez has dismissed suggestions that Lionel Messi's wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, is jealous of her getting close to the footballer. Martinez says that she has no clue where the reports have come from and added that there are no issues between them.
Reports in June suggested that Antonela was unhappy with Messi's interviews with Martinez, especially after the 3-0 win over Croatia in the semifinals, and barred the Inter Miami star from talking to her. The ESPN journalist interviewed him during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and also conducted one earlier this summer after his decision to leave PSG.
Martinez, though, told Socios del Espectaculo that the reports about Antonela having issues with her getting close to Messi are not true. She added that the footballer's wife is experienced in handling stuff written in the press:
"No, zero. I don't know where it comes from. On the contrary, I once spoke with Antonela, and I admire her a lot for how she handles the madness that is around her, for the family they have that I love, and it really is to highlight how they show their day to day without eccentricities."
Martinez said that it's a dream to interview Messi:
"It's a dream, and it's spectacular to be close to a person like that, a legend, a myth ... I don't have a link in the newspaper, but we were able to make a note through the people who manage his agenda."
Sofi Martinez also wrote a long letter to Lionel Messi earlier this summer after his interview with her. She thanked Messi for his time and hailed his humility.
Sofi Martinez's partner speaks about Lionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo
Diego Leuco, journalist and Sofi Martinez's partner, also spoke about reports of Antonela Roccuzzo being unhappy with Lionel Messi's interviews with Sofi.
He said that there was some small issue between them, but that it was just a misunderstanding that has been corrected after the journalist spoke to Rocuzzo. Leuco told Argentine news outlet Paparazzi:
"That is already evil and a bad mood that everyone is saying anything all the time. But now, you don't have to give a ball to that. She already explained the other thing that it was a misunderstanding."
Lionel Messi is now in the Bahamas on vacation after his long season with PSG. He also won the FIFA World Cup in the middle of the season with Argentina in Qatar and is on a much-deserved break.
He will be off to Miami next, where he will join his new club, Inter Miami, in the MLS. The Argentine is expected to make his debut for the MLS side later this month.