Argentine star is facing online abuse for having a tattoo of Cristiano Ronaldo but not Messi

Argentine striker Yamila Rodríguez is a hot topic at the 2023 World Cup and all due to her tattoos. Several photos taken during La Albiceleste's loss against Italy last Monday showed that the player has ink paying tribute to Diego Maradona and Cristiano Ronaldo over her left leg.

Yes, you read it right: Cristiano Ronaldo!

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Of course, there is nothing wrong with having a Cristiano Ronaldo tattoo, but in Argentina, a lot of people seem to be disappointed with Rodríguez for choosing the Portuguese star and snubbing local hero Lionel Messi, who just won the Men's World Cup last December. 

Considering the debate 'Messi vs. Ronaldo' is the most controversial 21st-century discussion in the world of soccer, things actually have started to get pretty ugly with several users online abusing Rodríguez and calling her 'Anti Messi.' Some even have dusted off some old tweets from Rodríguez criticizing Inter Miami's new star. 

Yamila Rodriguez tiene el derecho a idolatrar a quien se le antoje, sin importarle en qué país nació. Pero que no nos tome por tontos. "¿Cuándo fui anti Messi?", se quejó hoy. Bueno, en 2016, por ejemplo. pic.twitter.com/CFp7mSBv8g

— Diego Borinsky (@diegoborinsky) July 25, 2023

Yamila Rodríguez Cristiano Ronaldo tattoo controversy: What does she say?

The situation got so out of hand that the player had to go on her social media accounts to ask her haters to stop it. 

"Please, enough. I'm having a really bad time with all of this. When did I say that I am 'Anti Messi'? Stop saying things that I didn't say," she wrote on Instagram.

"I never said that I am 'Anti Messi'. I'd never be it. Messi is our great national team captain, but if I say that my idol and inspiration is CR7, it doesn't mean that I hate Messi... I enjoyed watching another player, the one who inspired me, so what's the problem?"

El mensaje de Yamila Rodríguez. pic.twitter.com/ycuQbcdCSd

— Sudanalytics (@sudanalytics_) July 25, 2023

"We are not forced to love only the players from our countries. Please, understand this is football, that anyone can have preferences, and that praising someone, it doesn't mean burying someone else. It's enough, it gets tiring, it hurts."

And sure, people should leave her alone.