“He cannot; it’s just difficult” - Juan Mata on criticism aimed at Lionel Messi for not playing the Barcelona way with Argentina

Former Spain winger Juan Mata has addressed the criticism Lionel Messi received for not playing with Argentina the way he used to at Barcelona. The 37-year-old is a bonafide Barca icon.

In 17 hugely successful seasons at the Camp Nou between 2004 and 2021, Messi became the club's all-time record appearance maker, scorer and assist-provider, winning titles galore. He won a record 10 La Liga and four UEFA Champions League titles, including two continental trebles.

However, Messi largely failed to replicate his Barcelona heroics with La Albiceleste before winning his first senior international title at the 2021 Copa America and following up with two more.

Mata, though, has come to Messi's defence, explaining on the Legends Lounge why it's difficult to be as effective with a different set of teammates and a different formation:

“We always need the environment around us to be favourable to flourish. If you put Rodri in a different team, with different teammates that play different football, he will not be as good as he is (now).

“Xavi and Iniesta, they were magnificent because they played in a system with Barcelona and the national team that was (about) them. If you play in a different style than your team, you have to adapt, which you do as a professional player, but it is more difficult then to reach your top level."

Attributing a part of Messi's Barca success to his teammates, Mata added:

“It’s really important. Sometimes people were criticising Messi in Argentina years ago because he doesn’t play the same way as in Barcelona.

"He cannot (due to this), it’s just difficult. So we cannot underestimate the rest of the team (when it comes to making a player look good)."

Lionel Messi won the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 FIFA World Cup and is now a win away from a second straight Copa America title.

---

Lionel Messi's teammate Angel Di Maria set to play his last game for Argentina

Lionel Messi's teammate Angel Di Maria

Angel Di Maria is calling time on his senior international career with Argentina following the 2024 Copa America final with Colombia in Miami on Sunday (July 14).

The 36-year-old winger has played 140 of his 144 Argentina games alongside Lionel Messi, contributing 31 goals and 32 assists. One of those goals came in the 1-0 win over Brazil in the 2021 Copa America final at the Maracana, marking Argentina's first major international title in 28 years.

Di Maria also scored and provided an assist in the 4-2 shootout win over France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final following a 2-2 draw after extra time.