Martinez has seen her on-screen profile soar as a result of the success that she has enjoyed while covering the Argentina national team. Said role regularly brings her into contact with eight-time Golden Ball winner Messi – who is now plying his club trade at MLS outfit Inter Miami.

Her emotional interview with Messi during the 2022 World Cup went viral and has led to speculation regarding a supposed fling – with Argentina’s talismanic captain facing accusations of cheating on his wife Antonela Roccuzzo.

Martinez has sought to shut that gossip down for good, telling the ‘PH: Podemos Hablar’ show on Telefe: “A lot of the time when your exposure increases, it brings things that aren’t so good and my family suffers a lot. This year, people began to talk more and more about, ‘What’s up with the way he looks at you’, things like this, and I was caught in the middle of something that made me feel ridiculous to have to clarify.”

Neither Messi nor Antonela have addressed the talk of flirtatious encounters in public, while Martinez claims to not “know where it comes from” after seeing reports emerge of Roccuzzo supposedly being jealous of her husband’s relationship with a prominent media personality.

Martinez has hailed Antonela for the manner in which “she handles the madness” that surrounds Messi, with his every move being dissected in minute detail. For now, they – along with their three sons – are enjoying life in Florida after deciding to go chasing the American dream in 2023.

Goal