Argentinian Government Official Is Out After Daring To Criticize Lionel Messi

No one criticizes Lionel Messi in Argentina and gets away with it!

Seriously.

Julio Garro — Argentina's former undersecretary of sport — lost his job on Thursday after he publicly called for Messi to apologize after the Argentinian national team sang a racially insensitive song after winning the Copa America.

Following a 1-0 win over Colombia in the final, midfielder Enzo Fernandez livestreamed himself and teammates singing the song, which makes fun of Black players on the French national team.

Listen, spread the word / They play in France, but they’re all from Angola / How lovely, they will run / They are trans lovers like that f*ck Mbappe / Your mom is Nigerian, your dad is Cameroonian / But on your ID, it says French nationality.

Garro said that by chanting the derogatory lyrics, the team put Argentina in a bad light. Fernandez has already apologized publicly for sharing the footage via social media, but Messi hasn't addressed it.

"I think the captain [Messi] of the national team and AFA [Argentina Football Association's] president [Claudio Tapia] should come out and apologize for this case," Garro told Argentinian radio Urbano Play. "It is fitting. It [controversy] leaves us in a bad light with so much glory."

Argentina president Javier Milei has since issued a statement via social media and confirmed that Garro is no longer in the position.

"The president's office reports that no government can tell what to comment, what to think or what to do to the Argentina national team, world champion and two-time American champion, or to any other citizen," it read. "For this reason, Julio Garro ceases to be undersecretary of sports of the nation."

Gallo apologized for his comment, but still believes the song is inappropriate.

"I am very sorry if my comment offended anyone, that was never my intention, and that is why I made my resignation available," he posted on X. "Although I will always be on the other side of discrimination in all its forms."

The French Soccer Federation (FFF) pledged on Tuesday to file a complaint with FIFA over the "racist and discriminatory remarks" made by the Argentinian team. FIFA is now looking into the incident.