Lionel Messi hasn't spoken to Diego Maradona since the 2010 World Cup
Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona have often been compared to one another because of their similar style of play as well as their achievements in World Football. Everyone thought when Maradona took over as the coach Argentina then the Messi-Maradona partnership would work wonders for the team.
But the fairytale never materialized. After struggling in the qualifiers and just about managing to book a place in the 2010 World Cup the team only managed to reach the quarterfinals of the competition. They were knocked out by a brilliant German side that routed Messi’s team 4-0 in that game.
And Messi has revealed they haven’t spoken to each other since that World Cup but denied any friction in their relationship. "We haven't spoken in a long time, since the World Cup [2010] we may have crossed paths once or twice”, he told in Spanish on Egyptian TV
Despite not speaking to him for six years Messi said that the two don't have any problems with one another. "He has his life, his things and I have mine. We haven't spoken at all. Considering that we don't speak to each other, I have a great relationship with him.”
Maradona is considered one of the greatest players of al time if not the greatest and has won everything there is to win in World Football. He famously helped Argentina win the 1986 World Cup where he scored an infamous goal against England in the quarterfinals.
Lionel Messi came agonizingly close to repeating that feat in 2014 after helping Argentina reach the finals of the World Cup in Brazil. But in the second half of extra time, Mario Gotze scored the winning goal for Germany and breaking the fans’ hearts.
Argentina exact revenge on Chile
The qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup is already underway in South America and after a shaky start Argentina seemed to have gotten back on track with back to back wins against Colombia and Chile.
Messi commended the teams efforts after they avenged their Copa America final defeat against Chile saying, “We did a great job although we didn't start in the way we hoped, The group managed to revert the situation and reply in the best way.”
Argentina are currently 5th in the table on eight points with leaders Ecuador on 13 points having played the same number of games. They face Bolivia today in Cordoba, Argentina