After the eruption of conspiracy theories.. Argentina star's father explains Messi's mysterious message

Spain v Argentina: Final - FIFA World Cup 2026

Lionel Messi's words inside the Argentina dressing room before the 2026 World Cup final set social media alight, with many reading them out of context as proof of an internal crisis.

Alexis Mac Allister's father has now set the record straight on exactly what the "Tango" captain told his teammates before facing Spain.

Carlos Mac Allister, father of Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, insisted Messi's team talk before the final was purely tactical. He denied any disputes or tension inside the national team's camp in radio comments reported by the newspaper La Nación.

His clarification came after ESPN published a video clip of Messi addressing his teammates. "Come on, lads, stay calm. The most important thing is that you stay calm," the forward said.

The Argentina captain then added the words that raised eyebrows: "Let's forget everything. Let's just play. Let's focus on the match, lads." That was all it took for some to launch conspiracy theories about an internal crisis before the final, which Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time.

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Doubt had gripped Mac Allister's father too after he watched the clip. "I sent a message to Alexis asking him: what happened in the dressing room? Did something happen? If I had started to wonder, then imagine what others thought," he said.

His son denied any problem outright. Messi's talk was only about how to approach the match from a technical standpoint, he explained, focusing on passing, movement, swapping positions, and avoiding long balls or losing possession.

Taken out of context, he argued, the clip opened the door to baseless interpretations. What Messi said was simply part of the technical instructions before kick-off.

Whatever controversy the video stirred, Carlos Mac Allister rejected the idea that any internal crisis cost Argentina. The defeat came down to Spain's superiority. Every "Tango" player gave everything they had, he said, but they faced a better opponent on the night.