"Goes to the toilet 20 times before a game" - When Diego Maradona called out 'useless' Lionel Messi
In 2018, legendary Argentine footballer Diego Maradona launched a scathing attack on Lionel Messi, saying the Barcelona superstar was 'not a leader'. He also warned against deifying the then-31-year-old.
Speaking exclusively to Fox Sports, Maradona, who coached Messi during the 2010 World Cup, claimed that Messi was not a leader (via ESPN):
"We shouldn't deify Messi any longer. He's Messi when he plays for Barcelona. Messi is Messi when he wears that shirt, and he's another Messi with Argentina. He's a great player but he's not a leader. It's useless trying to make a leader out of a man who goes to the toilet 20 times before a game."
LIONEL MESSI PASSES DIEGO MARADONA FOR MOST WORLD CUP GOALS BY AN ARGENTINE! 🇦🇷 https://t.co/ZmbvKVcK9E
The controversial comments came after Lionel Messi's decision to take a sabbatical from international football in 2018, following a disappointing World Cup campaign in Russia. Maradona, who was coaching local second-tier side Dorados at the time, insisted that the break was a sensible move:
"I wouldn't call him up right now, but never say never. We have to take the pressure off him."
Lionel Messi had Diego Maradona watching over him 🕊 https://t.co/VPxOsPHkZh
Maradona's criticism of Messi's leadership qualities is not entirely without foundation. The Barcelona forward failed to replicate his club form on the international stage for many years.
He was also on the losing side in all four of his finals with Argentina prior to 2021 - three in the Copa America and one in the 2014 World Cup. He also failed to score in any of Argentina's four World Cup knockout stage matches until the World Cup in Qatar.
Lionel Messi has since gone on to win multiple trophies with Argentina
Lionel Messi had two glaring holes in his trophy cabinet: a Copa America trophy and the World Cup. Despite being a Champions League winner in his teens and the recipient of seven Ballons d'Or, both competitions had always eluded him.
In 2021, the maestro led the Albiceleste to the continental trophy without a single loss along the way. And then, the World Cup in Qatar was next.
As he approached his fifth attempt at the tournament, the playmaker was not deterred. He led Argentina as captain through setbacks and comebacks, overcoming adversity to reach the pinnacle of footballing success.
The defining moment of this World Cup came in the final, as Lionel Messi finally lifted the trophy he had long coveted. He finally added the missing piece to his collection on a night high on drama and emotion, and he completed football.