Lionel Messi's name is Lionel Messi. His name is not Leonardo Messi. This much we know for certain.
USA Today, however, may not be as certain as we are.
Leonardo Messi, Argentina stand in way of historic run by U.S. soccer at Copa America. https://t.co/b63eXjVwUg pic.twitter.com/NZt8a4pH7c
— USA TODAY Sports (@USATODAYsports) June 20, 2016
We understand how this error happened, or at least we think we do. Many, if not most, in the soccer community refer to Messi occasionally as "Leo" which, if someone is not that familiar with Messi or soccer, could be thought to be short for "Leonardo" and not "Lionel." Not that the error is any less dumb for that.
In fairness to USA Today, they immediately corrected the error and owned their mistake, not even deleting the tweet calling Messi Leonardo.
@USATODAYsports Apologies. Yes. Lionel Messi is the star of Argentina.
— USA TODAY Sports (@USATODAYsports) June 20, 2016
Correction: Lionel Messi, Argentina stand in way of historic run by U.S. at Copa America. https://t.co/b63eXjVwUg pic.twitter.com/V6YfHmlsEO
— USA TODAY Sports (@USATODAYsports) June 20, 2016
USA Today certainly isn't the first news organization to make such an epic blunder (in a Copa Libertadores game recap for this website, I once referred to "Pumas" as "Tigres" and it will haunt me forever), and they won't be the last. But, if we can offer some friendly advice, if you don't know something look it up, and make sure to read your tweets more than once before you send them.
In basketball news, Leroy James and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated Steve Curry in game seven of the NBA Finals last night.
Contact The18 Staff Writer Sam Klomhaus at Klomhaus@The18.com or follow him on Twitter @SamKlomhaus
