Argentina forward Yamila Rodriguez has found herself caught in a heated social media storm.
The 25-year-old has recently defended her decision to ink tattoos of both Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Maradona, causing fans to question her allegiance to their national team's talisman, Lionel Messi.
Undeterred by the criticism, Rodriguez took to Instagram to set the record straight, passionately defending her right to idolize both Ronaldo and Messi.
"Please stop, I'm not having a good time. At what point did I say that I'm anti-Messi?" she wrote, her words dripping with frustration.
As the waves of comments flooded her page, Rodriguez voiced her disappointment not with the fans, but with the harsh and merciless attacks she had endured.
"Can't you have an idol or a player you like? Messi is our great captain in the national team, but the fact that I say that my inspiration and my idol is CR7 (Ronaldo) does not mean that I hate Messi," she declared firmly.
It's a bold stance to take, especially considering Messi's monumental contributions to Argentine football, which led to their World Cup triumph.
However, Rodriguez's passion for Ronaldo, the Portuguese scoring machine with over 800 goals to his name, seems to know no bounds.
For her, he is the epitome of inspiration.
"What is the problem? We are not all obliged to only love the players of our country," she argued.
Her tattoos, etched on her left shin and left thigh, bear witness to her unwavering admiration for two football giants.
Ronaldo, the epitome of raw talent and hard work, and Maradona, an Argentine legend who immortalized himself in football folklore.
But as Rodriguez explained, having a Ronaldo tattoo does not diminish her love for Messi.
It merely showcases that football is a game of multiple talents and personalities, all deserving of appreciation in their own right.
"Please understand that this is football and everyone has an appreciation, of their preferences, and highlighting one does not mean burying the other. Enough, it tires me, it hurts me," she pleaded with her critics.
As Argentina prepare to face South Africa in their upcoming Women's World Cup match, Rodriguez hopes her message will resonate with fans worldwide.
