Jonathan Moya, forward for Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, has recently generated controversy following an incident in which he declined to engage with Esteban Amador, also known as Piolo, a well-known content creator, after a match.

The incident occurred during the post-game mixed zone at the Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium following Alajuelense's match against San Carlos.

During the exchange, Moya requested Piolo to leave the area so he could interview other players.

Piolo, who was taken aback by Moya's request, recorded the interaction and subsequently posted it on his social media channels, criticizing Moya for not being approachable as a professional athlete.

In the video, Moya stated, "Mae, ¿se puede retirar un toque?, para yo entrevistarlos a ellos," which translates to him asking Piolo to step away.

When Piolo asked if he was not going to speak with him, Moya responded affirmatively with a firm ‘no.’ The incident has ignited discussions regarding athlete accountability and media relations.

After the video was shared, Moya took to his own social media to clarify his stance, asserting that his refusal was not due to a reaction to criticism but was rather rooted in a previous comment made by Piolo about him.

Moya stated, "Justamente, cuando indican mi nombre y mi supuesto salario, este señor se refiere de una manera despreciativa diciendo 'qué desperdicio'." He elaborated that he chose not to engage further as he felt it would be a 'waste' of his time.

Piolo has since provided further context regarding the situation, mentioning it was the first time he encountered such a dismissive response.

He noted that while he has faced disagreements with other players, including Joel Campbell and Leonel Moreira, those players had previous engaged with him constructively.

This incident, he remarked, felt unexpectedly personal.

Piolo emphasized that his comments regarding Moya's performance were purely professional, expressing that he believed the forward's contributions did not correspond with what the club allegedly invests in his salary.

He pointed to Moya’s statistics this season, which include only one goal and an assist over several matches, to support his assertion that Moya's performance has not met expectations.

He stated, "Un día dije que era un desperdicio de plata tener a Moya, porque los números no me dejan mentir."

Despite Moya's request for Piolo to step away, the content creator maintained that his critiques were focused on Moya's on-field performance rather than a personal attack.

He predicted the forward's performance would improve as the season progressed, but he stressed the need for players to be open to constructive criticism.

Following the incident, there were discussions within the Alajuelense community regarding the level of tolerance players have for criticism, with Piolo stating that he observed a lack of humility from Moya in handling the situation.

He asserted he had no intention of intruding into Moya's personal life, maintaining his focus strictly on football-related topics.

Overall, the situation underscores ongoing tensions between athletes and media commentators, particularly regarding expectations of engagement and the handling of criticism in the world of professional sports.