Lionel Messi's private aid to AFA staff highlighted by teammate's praise

During a training camp in Belo Horizonte ahead of Argentina's World Cup qualifier against Brazil, three AFA security employees approached captain Lionel Messi to explain that they had not been paid for six months. Messi arranged for his father to transfer the owed money, covering the staff's salaries without seeking publicity. The gesture was later described by journalist Juan Pablo Varsky, who noted Messi's desire to keep the incident private.

In the same period, Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister spoke about his admiration for Messi, calling him the "GOAT" and saying that learning from him is exceptionally difficult because his talent appears to operate on a different plane. Mac Allister emphasized that Messi’s influence extends beyond goals, shaping the mentality and performance of the entire squad.