Manuel Ugarte: The Lionel Messi incident that proves Man Utd have signed a warrior

31 Aug 2024 10:25 BST
3 min read

Manchester United completed the Deadline Day signing of Manuel Ugarte from PSG for a fee of €60 million, with the Uruguay international valued for his combative qualities.

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These were amply displayed during an international clash against Argentina last November, when Ugarte stood accused of calling seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi a “c**k sucker”. It was a moment that provoked an angry on-field clash.

Uruguay beat the world champions thanks to goals from Barcelona's Ronald Araujo and Liverpool's Darwin Nunez, but after the game, the headlines were made by the new Man Utd star.

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During an angry exchange between Ugarte and Rodrigo De Paul, the former pointed at Messi and then made a fellatio gesture at De Paul, the meaning of which need not be explicated here. After the match, an angry Messi hit out at the PSG man and his fellow Uruguay players.

“I'd rather not say what I'm thinking but the younger people need to learn. They have a good group but they need to learn from the veterans how to respect. These games are always intense but very respectful, so they have to learn a little,” the Inter Miami star told Telemundo.

© IMAGO - New Man Utd signing Manuel Ugarte

Ugarte's response to Messi clash

After the game, Ugarte responded.

"When I was told that one of my gestures had gone viral, I didn’t understand," he told Uruguayan outlet Sport 890. "Then I saw it and I wanted to die. It’s not good."

“In the moment, I didn’t really realise. I probably did it without realising it. When I was told it had gone viral, I didn’t even remember what I’d done. Then I saw it and I said: I’m an animal!"

"Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, I do things that I shouldn’t do. I haven’t spoken with him [De Paul], but of course, I want to apologise because it’s something that has gone viral, but as he said, it stays on the pitch.”

Ugarte could make his Man Utd debut against Southampton on 14 September.

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