Argentina legend and 1978 FIFA World Cup champion Mario Kempes has publicly denounced the wave of conspiracy theories that emerged following the national team's performance this summer. La Albiceleste suffered a defeat against Spain in the final held in New York on Sunday, sparking baseless claims among some fans that the team was intentionally instructed to lose. Supporters also pointed to 39-year-old Lionel Messi missing out on the Golden Ball as further purported evidence of foul play.
Addressing these claims in a social media video, Kempes urged the public to rely on common sense. He acknowledged that while the team's performance was disappointing and lacked the intensity of their previous three matches—failing to record a single shot on target throughout the 120-minute final—it was simply a case of a poor day on the pitch. Kempes emphasized that football naturally involves fluctuating levels of performance, stating, "If we want to be demanding of the team, let's be as we should be, but let's not echo anything that circulates without foundation. This jersey is respected in good times and bad." He added that there is a significant difference between a team struggling on the field and the speculative narratives currently circulating, noting that such unproven claims benefit no one.
In other developments, Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes returned to club duty just days after the final. The 32-year-old captained Boca Juniors to a 1-0 victory over Chilean side O'Higgins in the Copa Sudamericana, playing the full 90 minutes and providing the assist for the winning goal. Paredes had appeared in Sunday's final against Spain, entering as a substitute for Nico Gonzalez late in the first half. FIFA is currently reviewing the conduct of the Argentinian team, including an incident involving Paredes during an altercation with Eric Garcia and Gavi at the conclusion of the final match in New York.
You know what it meant to me to wear the Argentinian jersey: there's nothing greater that can happen to a player than representing his country.
I've experienced that many times, maybe a thousand times, but you have to move on.There's a huge difference between the team's level and the things you read on social media: A team that lowers its level in a game is not the same as one that doesn't compete.
