Seattle Sounders Star Addresses Lionel Messi's Alleged Argentina Banishment Threat

In an interview with MLS reporters, he also explained that arguments like the one he had with Inter Miami’s stars are common in football. Despite performing consistently well for two years, De La Vega has yet to receive a call-up to Argentina’s squad.

“The clash was just part of the game. I tried to stay focused and not take it personally. Facing them as an Argentine carries a different kind of pressure,” he said.

Why Isn’t Pedro De La Vega With the Argentina National Team?

De La Vega plays in a position stacked with elite talent, and Argentina has a long history of producing world-class forwards. Because of this, manager Lionel Scaloni usually calls up players who fit very specific roles: strong, fast dribblers who don’t mind sacrificing goals for the team, often creating space for others to score.

Currently, Julián Álvarez is the main starter, while Lautaro Martínez is the usual alternative. Beyond these two, immediate substitutes rarely see playing time, leaving little to no room for De La Vega in the squad.

Still, speculation about Messi’s influence grew after former MLS player Alan Gordon shared a story on the MLS Journeyman Podcast. Gordon, who played alongside David Beckham at LA Galaxy, claimed:

“Messi told him—remember when they got into a little scuffle during the game. Messi told him to his face, ‘You will never play for the national team as long as I am involved.’ He basically blackballed him on the field. This happened. That is disgusting to me.”