Watch: Messi says Argentina is done talking to the press
Lionel Messi helped snap Argentina's four-game winless streak by scoring on a free-kick and recording two assists as they defeated Colombia 3–0 in Tuesday night's World Cup qualifier.
After the match, he said that the players would no longer be speaking to the press after being disrespected by the media with false accusations. Earlier in the week, a Brazilian journalist tweeted that Ezequiel Lavezzi had been left off the Argentina squad to face Colombia because he had been smoking marijuana.
Messi apologized to reporters in attendance who had nothing to do with the rumors but noted that it is not the first time in which the media has been involved in a player's personal life.
Watch Messi's announcement below:
? #Messi como capitán de la @Argentina habla sobre la decisión de no hablar más con la prensa. #EliminatoriasCONMEBOL pic.twitter.com/kGdzZT0JiW
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) November 16, 2016
Brazil remains five points ahead of Argentina in the qualifying table. The top four will qualify for the 2018 finals in Russia. The fifth place team, currently Argentina, will participate in an intercontinental playoff for another berth.
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