Argentina captain Lionel Messi spoke to the media following the 2-0 loss to Uruguay in the World Cup qualifiers. The intensity of the match against Uruguay was in focus and Messi suggested that younger Uruguay players needed to learn some respect.

It was the first time since the defeat to Saudi Arabia in the World Cup that Lionel Messi and Argentina have lost.

Argentina and Uruguay are both almost guaranteed to make it out of World Cup qualifying and onto the 2026 tournament with the former still top of the South American qualifiers with four wins and one loss.

"It's normal [the intensity]. It is part of these matches, qualifiers. Against Uruguay, it's always like this. I prefer not to say what I think," Messi was quoted as saying by TyC Sports.

Messi referred to the obscene gesture from Uruguay's Manuel Ugarte towards Rodrigo De Paul.

"Young people have to learn to respect from their elders. This classic was always intense, hard, but always with a lot of respect. They have to learn a little," Messi said.

 "We had a hard time playing. They are intense. They play one on one, they have physical and fast players in the middle. It was hard for us to find out game.

"We never felt comfortable. We didn't find a way to have long periods of ball possession. That's why their game made us accelerate too and we get into that rhythm. They are a physical team, that works well and that on the contrary there is a lot of danger".

Messi was impressed by Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay and he was hoping his side bounce back in the next game against Brazil.

"You can see Bielsa's hand in the team. They have a good team that plays well. We lost, this could happen. We have to get up and play a good game in Brazil."