Atletico Madrid player Baena broke his silence, clarifying the truth behind his "neglect" of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez after winning the 2026 World Cup.
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Baena became the focus of discussion during the Spanish team's celebrations, especially when he and his teammates went to the Moncloa Palace, the residence of the Spanish Prime Minister.
There, a controversial incident occurred between Baena and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. During the greeting ceremony, the player did not look directly at Sánchez, a move reminiscent of what then-Real Madrid captain Carvajal did in 2024.
This scene sparked numerous comments on social media, with one netizen writing: "He has the right to do what he wants, but it's inappropriate to do this while wearing a national team jersey."
Another netizen commented, "There are always some people who lack manners."
The Spanish newspaper Razía also posted photos of the meeting on its social media account, with the caption: "Note that this is the Moncloa Palace. Don't forget to leave the trophy here."
The newspaper claimed that the statement was made by an Atletico Madrid player to his teammate Rodri during a visit.
But after the online uproar, Baena decided to respond personally, commenting on a post in L'Rationale: "Don't you have any other lies to tell people today?"
Baena directly denied the rumors, stating that the comments made by him during his visit to the Spanish Prime Minister's Office were baseless.
