“Why everyone suddenly hates Messi” is genuinely the most misguided take of all time.

I’ve seen so many posts similar to this lately. Painting Argentina and Messi as the ‘victims’ of a big hate campaign. Pull up whatever irrelevant algorithmic data you want. Blame paid accounts. Quote psychological theory. At the end of the day… it’s pretty simple.

Barcelona allegedly paid off referees for 2 decades, spanning Messi’s entire career…

The Argentinian FA are being investigated for money laundering. We’ve all seen the blatant refereeing favouritism across two World Cups now. We all saw their violent, aggressive and petulant behaviour all tournament. We aren’t blind…

Inter Miami, disproportionate to the rest of the MLS, hoarded old European talent and walk the league as soon as Messi arrives. Somehow qualifying for the Club World Cup without actually meeting any criteria for such qualification. This is a plastic club, with no history and purchased success…

While you can’t blame all of this on Messi, obviously. He is clearly complicit. He clearly benefits from the purchased success of such institutions. He is clearly a money milking machine for FIFA and America. Something Infantino is well aware of… he ‘suffers’ with Messi after all.

And people don’t like it. People don’t like blatantly manufactured success. People don’t like cheats. People don’t like teachers pets. People don’t like players that try and get other players (Cucurella) unfairly sent off in a World Cup final when they are clearly being outclassed on the pitch. People don’t like people that lack integrity.

But nah. I guess we’re all swept up in mass hysteria! We’re all brain washed! And this is dangerous rhetoric!

Shut up. The Messi bias is nauseating.