The six-month suspension of Juan Sebastian Veron has unleashed a series of reactions and controversy in Argentine football. His wife, Valentina Martin, came out to defend him with a post on social networks where she not only makes clear her support for her husband, but also lashes out against the leadership of the AFA and even against Lionel Messi.
However, doubts have now arisen about the authenticity of the post, which quickly went viral on social media.
AFA gives historic sanction to Sebastian Veron
The sanction imposed by the Disciplinary Tribunal on Estudiantes de La Plata was the initial spark. After refusing to perform the champions’ corridor to Rosario Central and then doing so but with the players facing away from their rivals, the body applied a historic punishment: six months’ suspension for Juan Sebastian Veron, as well as two matches for the players involved, from 2026.
Sebastian Veron’s wife sends a message to AFA and Messi
In this context, Valentina Martin, the wife of the club’s president, ‘La Brujita’ Veron, reacted with a direct message that went viral on social networks in minutes:
“They want to get rid of you because they are terrified of you. Not a step backwards, it’s time to strike the blow and finish off this mafia. Not only do you have the support of all Estudiantes, but also of a large part of Argentine football. Go ahead Juan Sebastian. Go ahead,” said Maria Valentina Martin.
The message was interpreted as emotional support for her partner, but also as a frontal questioning of the leadership of Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia.
The phrase that ignited the debate: A message towards Messi and De Paul?
Another viral screenshot attributed to Martin added even more tension, as it read:
“The man from Miami, the Englishman, the sellout… the one who came back, the one who made us bigger, the only one who has balls, and I can attest that he fights for everything to be a little better and that he is more Argentine than the one who won the World Cup and lives in Miami“.
The phrase was interpreted as a message towards Lionel Messi due to his residence in Miami and his close relationship with Tapia, as well as towards Rodrigo De Paul, a regular companion of the AFA president in training camps and public events.
Both maintain a strong institutional link, and their presence in projects such as the future club Leones FC, which will compete in the Primera C, made the comment even more suggestive.
Real post or fake? The doubts about the viral screenshot
Among the wave of reactions, an unexpected line of discussion emerged: was the screenshot attributed to Valentina Martin authentic?
Journalist Agustin Mario Gimenez listed a series of technical inconsistencies that drew attention, such as the fact that Martin’s account is private and the original link was not disseminated, as well as inconsistencies with typical Instagram posts such as the typography used, the line spacing and the text box.
These observations reopened the debate about the viralization of manipulated content and the speed with which a capture can install a narrative without prior verification.
The only clear thing is that Argentine football is experiencing another episode of high tension, where social networks can accelerate or distort any spark, and where every word – real or not – can ignite a new fire.
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