“You have to take the leadership away for him to be the Messi we want him to be,” Maradona added.
Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (R) (Photo: AFP)
Argentina great Diego Maradona on Sunday lashed out at his fellow countryman Lionel Messi. According to Maradona, Messi “is not a leader” on the filed for Argentina and he should not be considered a football god.
Lionel Messi “is not a leader,” Maradona said in an interview to Fox Sports, adding, “It’s useless to try and make a leader out of someone who goes to the bathroom 20 times before a game.”
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Diego Maradona, who along with Brazilian legend Pele is widely held to be one of the best players of all time, said, “Before speaking to the coach and players he will be on the PlayStation. Then, on the field, he wants to be the leader.”
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Maradona further said that Barcelona ace is the best in the world along with Juventus striker Cristian Ronaldo, but Messi is not a leader.
“He is the best in the world along with Cristiano [Ronaldo],” Maradona said, adding, “But he’s not a leader.”
Maradona who guided Argentina to world cup glory in 1986 also said Messi was expected to be “the saviour of the fatherland.”
“Let’s stop making a god out of Messi. Messi is Messi for Barcelona, but playing in an Argentina shirt he is another Messi,” he asserted.
Escalating his attack on the Argentina striker, Maradona also said that if he was coach of national team, he would “not call on Messi” before adding “never say never.”
“You have to take the leadership away for him to be the Messi we want him to be,” Maradona added.
The 31-year-old Barcelona striker has not played for Argentina in three low-key friendlies since they were knocked out by France in the first knock-out round at the FIFA World Cup 2018. However, Messi has not officially retired from the national team.
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