In an interview with the Uruguayan media outlet Sport 890, midfielder Manuel Ugarte addressed the controversial incident that occurred during the recent clash between Uruguay and Argentina.
The sequence in question captured Ugarte making a provocative gesture towards Rodrigo De Paul after a foul committed by the latter on Lionel Messi. The gesture, captured by cameras during the match, sparked mixed reactions and fueled the already palpable tension between the two South American teams.
However, Ugarte expressed regret for his behavior, emphasizing that despite the heated context of the match, he should have avoided succumbing to provocation.
In his statements, Ugarte acknowledged that football is passionate and intense, but he also highlighted the importance of maintaining respect on the field. He admitted that his gesture was inappropriate and that he should have chosen a more constructive way to respond to the situation.
“When they told me that one of my gestures had gone viral, I didn’t understand anything. Then I saw it, and I wanted to die. It’s not good. At the moment, I didn’t really realize; I probably did it without even realizing. When they told me it had gone viral, I didn’t even remember what I had done. Then I saw the gesture again, and I thought to myself: I’m an animal!”
