5 worst managers to have coached Lionel Messi
A player like Lionel Messi is a rare and special type of player in the history of football. Few have lit up the pitch like the Argentine maestro, and unsurprisingly, the PSG forward has mostly played at the very highest level in football.
At the top of the football pyramid, you are more likely to see more top level managers than anywhere else in the game. However, players like Messi did not appear in a vacuum and the Argentine had to work his way to the top from humble origins.
Despite playing under great managers like Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, Messi hasn’t always had the best management around his generational talent. The Argentine has sometimes had to shoulder the responsibility of carrying the team when the managers weren't able to elevate the rest of the side to his level.
It is pretty rare and hard to notice because of how dominant the Argentine is in all his teams. Even at the worst of times, Messi has covered any tactical deficiencies in his teams. The maestro has also reached astronomical figures in nearly all of his professional seasons, regardless of the manager.
Without further ado, here are the five worst managers to coach the legendary Argentine forward:
#5 Diego Maradona | Argentina manager
Two Argentine maestros taking La Albiceleste to win World Cups, Copa Americas, and other competitions sounded like such a big, beautiful dream. However, the opposite happened, and Diego Maradona's career as Lionel Messi's Argentina coach was a rather disastrous situation. Much excitement about Maradona's appointment to the national team was quickly trampled after Argentina shockingly lost 6-1 to Bolivia.
Given all the blame Lionel Messi gets for Argentina's struggles, Diego Maradona says he should just retire from the national team. es.pn/2y3X8ZX https://t.co/TRKFhyFLf4
Messi notably struggled to score competitively for the national side throughout Maradona's time as head coach. The star managed a shocking two goals from 2008 to 2010, although he scored twice as many in 2007 alone. In the 2010 World Cup, it became quite clear that Maradona was unfit to manage La Albiceleste. In the quarter-finals, Germany beat a confused Argentina side 4-0, which lead to Maradona's eventual sack.
#4 Jorge Sampaoli | Argentina manager
Although the Argentine manager might be enjoying his time in Ligue 1 where he currently manages Marseille, Jorge Sampaoli's period as Argentina's head coach was rather futile. After a rather disastrous World Cup outing in 2018 where the team were kicked out by France, the Argentine FA fired the former Sevilla manager. It was hardly a surprise, especially after some dramatic losses and poor all-round performances.
Sampaoli: 'The only starter in the national team, today, is Messi' thesco.re/2uCBf1P https://t.co/N6Sxngcw5h
Lionel Messi could hardly be faulted for dramatic defensive failures that were showcased in friendlies like the 6-1 loss against Spain. The star also struggled to find his footing during the World Cup itself, as Argentina managed a bore draw against Iceland, while losing 3-0 to Croatia.
Poor team selections didn't help Sampaoli's cause, as the manager placed Franco Armani and Willy Caballero in goal, rather than the experienced Geronimo Rulli. His tenure as head coach lasted just one year, and it is little surprise that he made this list.