Lionel Messi news: 'For me, he's the best player of all time but one person alone can't win anything'- Barcelona legend defend Messi's Argentina troubles
What's the story?
Barcelona legend and former captain, Carles Puyol, has claimed that Lionel Messi cannot wait to win a trophy with Argentina but also stated that one man cannot win a trophy.
In case you didn't know...
The Argentine talisman is enjoying a historic campaign and has racked up 39 goals and 21 assists in all competitions so far with Barcelona.
The 31-year-old returned to his national duty for the first time since the World Cup but cannot help his national team as Argentina succumbed to a 3-1 defeat.
Although the match was just an International friendly, it highlighted Argentina's woes and will be a cause of concern before the Copa America.
Carlos Puyol was the leader of Blaugrana for a long time and spent almost a decade with Lionel Messi, winning a plethora of trophies during that tenure.
The heart of the matter
The former Spanish center back revealed his admiration towards Lionel Messi but also claimed that it is wrong when responsibility falls alone on the Argentine star's shoulders.
On an interview with Sport, Puyol said, "The fact Messi's returned to the national team is great news for Argentina and for football lovers. The more matches we see from Messi, the better, because it's a delight to watch him play."
"It's incredible how they much they live for football in Argentina. I understand how they might get angry with their team but they can't place all the responsibility on Messi. For me, he's the best player of all time but one person alone can't win anything."
"I believe that Leo plays with the same intensity for Argentina that he does with Barcelona. I know how he feels about his national team, it's everything, he can't wait to win a trophy with the national team. The others need to help him out."
What's next?
Leo Messi is not getting any younger and it remains to be seen whether he can carry Argentina to a silverware before he retires.