By Miguel Rapetti
03 Jul 2024, 22:34 PM EDT
Boxer Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez spoke this Tuesday for the first time since the controversy he had with Argentine Lionel Messi during the Qatar 2022 World Cup when he threatened him on social media for allegedly kicking and stepping on a Mexico shirt in a duel between the two teams.
According to Canelo Álvarez in an interview for the Univisión Fresno program, the controversy is now behind him, but he wanted to publicly acknowledge that he was wrong with his reaction and that he blamed it on the frustration he felt after Mexico’s elimination in the group stage of the World Cup.
“I think you have to admit when you make a mistake. That doesn’t make you any more or less than anyone else. The euphoria of wanting Mexico to win and seeing them lose…” said the pound-for-pound best.
Canelo Álvarez later expressed his regret for the threat to Messi and regretted having created a controversy out of a situation that did not warrant it.
“You don’t pay attention to what you do. You have to admit when you screw up, nothing happens,” added the Tapatío to the Univisión cameras.
Canelo Álvarez referred to the threatening messages he posted on his X account (formerly Twitter), more than a year and a half ago, where he said that he hoped he would never see Messi because he was going to take out his anger on him.
The boxer misinterpreted an action by Messi that was spread in a viral video where he put the Mexico shirt on the floor and stepped on it while he was in the locker room, in a situation that he later clarified to avoid misunderstandings.
“Did you see Messi cleaning the floor with our shirt and flag? I hope to God I don’t find him!” he wrote at the time.
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