Mario Kempes dig at Lionel Messi: You'll never be like Diego Maradona

Despite Argentina winning the Copa America with Lionel Messi as captain, he has not avoided criticism from some in his homeland. In an interview with ESPN Mexico Mario Kempes criticised the striker.

He won the World Cup with Argentina in 1978 and wanted to make it clear that in his view, Messi will never be greater than Diego Armando Maradona.

“For Messi, the shame is that it was him who replaced Diego Maradona, and Diego, with the idolatry he has over the world, it’s very hard to put him in the shade. If Messi wants to be better than Maradona, he will not do it, unless he wins four World Cups in a row. He’s not got that title of world champion.

“However much he wins, whatever he wins, he’ll never be able to be compared to what Diego did.”

ESPN Mexico journalist Alvaro Morales also got stuck in.

“Once again, Messi disappeared,” he complained. “He did not exist in the Maracana. Argentina will have to make a monument for Di Maria. Messi doesn’t deserve to even celebrate this title. He owes it to his team-mates because he did nothing. Even when Cristiano went off injured in the Euro 2016 final he was on the bench, directing his team. Messi was totally invisible. Cristiano is the best in history, Messi has a cold chest, they want him to be a leader but it doesn’t come out of him.”