It's time to stop giving Messi preferential treatment: Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi during the former’s stint as coach of the Argentina national team

Football legend Diego Maradona has weighed in on the debate about Lionel Messi’s performances for the national team with some harsh words being belted out in an interview with Argentinian daily Ole. The 54-year-old felt there was merit in the criticism Messi faced on the back of the Copa America final loss and said it was high time Argentinians stopped pampering their superstar.

One of football’s greatest ever players, Maradona is no stranger to controversies and he seems to have lit the fire for yet another by claiming Messi’s performances for the national jersey does not match the ones he displays for Barcelona.

Speaking exclusively to Ole, Maradona told: “We have the best player in the world. One who scores four goals against Real Sociedad and then he comes here and does not have a touch.One would ask, are you Argentinian or Swedish? ”

Maradona said the football crazy fans in his home country should start treating Messi just like any other player.

“We should stop busting on the folks who say we need to pamper Messi. He needs to be treated like any other player who pulls on the jersey for the national team,” Maradona told Ole.

Don’t turn the Messi debate into a soap opera

Maradona, however, offered words of sympathy as well, saying things were not as bad as some were making it out to be. “Messi is the best in the world, for better or worse. But look, he didn’t kill or rape anyone,” Maradona told. ”Let’s not turn this into a soap opera.”

Maradona was referring to some reports in the national press that featured a poll asking the readers to voice their opinion on whether Messi should continue playing for Argentina.

“Those who criticise him with the aim of helping him improve, that is fine. Now, those who conducts a survey asking if he should play for the national team – that is wrong. Now we are talking about changing the president. We shouldn’t go to such extremes but neither should we be content with coming second always,” Maradona told Ole which was reported by ESPNFC.

European-based players not giving enough

Though he didn’t name Messi directly, Maradona felt the players plying their trade in Europe were not putting in enough effort for the national team. He went on to claim that the national team’s failure to cross the final hurdle at its last two international tournaments was largely down to the players not backing each other.

“Players down the intensity coming down after the European cup tournaments. There were only five or six players who could resist 90 mins. Most of them exited quickly without giving a hand to their partner,“ Maradona told.