Argentina Women's World Cup Star Yamila Rodriguez Insists Her Cristiano Ronaldo Tattoo Is Not "Anti-Messi"

Argentina forward Yamila Rodriguez has hit back after being criticized for her tattoo of Cristiano Ronaldo. Rodriguez was accused of disrespecting Lionel Messi.

Argentina forward Yamila Rodriguez issued a statement on Instagram after being criticized for having a tattoo of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Rodriguez, 25, featured as a second-half substitute during Argentina's 1-0 defeat by Italy at the FIFA Women's World Cup on Monday.

During that game, images of one of her tattooed legs went viral on social media.

Rodriguez has the face of Portugal legend Ronaldo inked just above her left knee.

She also has an image of Diego Maradona tattooed on her left thigh.

Yamila Rodriguez pictured (left) playing for Argentina at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup :: IMAGO/NurPhoto/Jose Breton

Argentina's Yamila Rodríguez has tattoos of two players: Maradona and Ronaldo 👀 pic.twitter.com/4NLj3FABnK

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 23, 2023

Ronaldo, 38, has shared a rivalry with Argentina men's captain Lionel Messi, 36, for well over a decade.

Between 2008 and 2017, no player other than Ronaldo or Messi won the men's Ballon d'Or award.

After seeing her Ronaldo tattoo, multiple fans bizarrely accused Rodriguez of being disloyal to Argentina icon Messi.

Some of the messages clearly upset Rodriguez, who wrote on Tuesday: "Please, enough. I'm not doing well. In what moment did I say I was anti-Messi?

"Stop saying things that I didn't say, because the truth is I'm not doing well (in the middle of a World Cup where I'm representing my country).

"I'm not doing poorly because of you guys, but because of the awful things you're saying, without respect. One can't have an idol, or a player that they like? Please.

"I never said I'm anti-Messi and never would be. He is our captain of our national team – me saying that my inspiration and idol is CR7 (Ronaldo) doesn't mean that I hate Messi. Just to me (we can all like different things) I like the other player better, the one that inspired me.

"What's the problem? We're not all obligated to love the players from our own country. Please understand that this is football and everyone has their own preferences and that lifting one player up doesn't mean burying the other."