No Medical Reason Behind Messi's Throwing Up On The Pitch, Just Nerves

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella believes lionel's habit of being sick on the pitch stems from an anxiety problem.

The Barcelona star was seen vomiting during an international clash with Bolivia and has since done the same after a handful of appearances, including Argentina's latest friendly against Slovenia, in which he scored just four minutes later.


After Messi threw up in a friendly match between the Albiceleste and Romania in March, former Barca coach Gerardo Martino admitted that "something is not right" though he added that he did not believe Messi's play was being affected.


"Nerves. I reckon that in these moments there is anxiety more than anything," Sabella said ahead of his team's departure for Brazil. "It's difficult to remain calm."

Neither Barcelona nor Argentina's team doctors have found a medical cause behind the problem, but Messi himself is convinced it is just something that happens and cannot be avoided.

"I don't know what it is. But I had a thousand exams," Messi told the Argentine broadcaster TyC Sports earlier this year. "I start to feel nauseous to the point where I almost vomit, and then it goes away."

"Argentina is my country, my family, my way of expressing myself," he recently told Marca. "I would change all my records to make the people in my country happy."

Argentina are in Group F alongside Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria.