Schneider Criticizes Otamendi: Messi Won the World Cup, Not You
Wednesday 18-02-2026
Wesley Sneijder, the former Dutch football star, sharply criticized Argentine defender Nicolás Otamendi for his behavior during the Benfica vs. Real Madrid match in the UEFA Champions League.

Schneider commented on Otamendi's tattoo, which features major tournaments, including the World Cup, considering that doing so during a match is illogical and surprising. He said, "If you do this, are you okay in the head?"

Schneider added that if he were in Vinicius Junior's place, he would have responded to Otamendi by saying that it was Messi who won the World Cup, not him, so that tattoo is not a personal achievement for him. He considered Otamendi's behavior inappropriate and something that increases the psychological tension of the match.

The situation sparked significant debate on social media and in sports analyses, especially given the tension that accompanied the match and other issues such as racist incidents during the game itself, which made the discussion about players' behavior on and off the field a major focus of interest.

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