Maradona questions Messi's leadership over pre-game act

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Argentina's soccer legend Diego Maradona questioned Lionel Messi's capacity for leadership in an interview with a Mexican program called "La Ultima Palabra".

"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," said Maradona when asked about whether Messi is built to lead Argentina's national soccer team.

Maradona does not think Messi is the right man to be Argentina's captain. /VCG Photo

As a former manager of Argentina, Maradona worked with Messi during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He said that Messi wanted to be the team's leader and asked for the captain's armband but did not prove to be the right man for the job.

"He does ask for it on the pitch, but before speaking to teammates he'll go and play the Playstation," said Maradona who has shown the world that he could lead his country to success by winning titles at the FIFA World Cup in 1986 and 1990.

Messi's career with Argentina's national team has not been very successful so far. /VCG Photo

Though he did not think Messi is a good leader, Maradona still chose to defend the five-time Ballon d'Or winner: "We have to take the leadership away from Messi for him to be the Messi we want him to be."

Messi decided, again, to quit Argentina's national soccer team after a disappointing time at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Maradona previously supported his call and said this time that he would not recruit Messi if he were to coach Argentina. "I wouldn't call up Messi, but never say never. There's a need to take pressure off him."