Diego Maradona lashes out at Lionel Messi claiming Argentina star 'goes to the toilet 20 times' before games

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Joe Krishnan13 October 2018

Diego Maradona has launched an astonishing attack on Lionel Messi, claiming that the Argentina captain is not a leader because he goes to the toilet "20 times before a game".

Messi opted to take a break from the national team setup after a poor show at the World Cup where the Albiceleste went out after a 4-3 defeat to eventual winners France in the last 16 knockout stage.

His relationship with the media in his homeland has been strained, with some criticising Messi for valuing Barcelona ahead of playing for his nation.

But Maradona, who scored 34 goals in 91 caps for Argentina, has gone further by suggesting the 31-year-old should not captain the side and even bizarrely called out his pre-match behaviour.

"He does ask for it on the pitch, but before speaking to teammates he'll go and play the Playstation" Maradona revealed in an interview with Mexican programme 'La Ultima Palabra'.

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"For me it's difficult to talk, but it's pointless wanting to make a man who goes to the bathroom 20 times before a match into the leader."

Messi has often struggled to repeat his heroics for the national team and did announce his retirement from international football in 2016 before returning a month later.

And Maradona, who coached Argentina to the 2010 World Cup before bowing out at the quarter-final stage, even suggested Messi is no better than his team-mates.

"There’s no two ways about it. Let’s stop making a god out of Messi. Messi is just another player for Argentina," he added.

"There's a need to take the leadership away from Messi, as we want him to be Messi, which he wouldn't be."

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