"Messi goes to bathroom 20 times before a match", says Maradona

Maradona is currently Coach of Mexican second division club Dorados.

Former Argentina captain and coach, Diego Maradona, has questioned Barcelona star Lionel Messi's leadership in the Argentina team.

Argentina crashed out after they were beaten 4-3 by France in the Last 16 of the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Messi playing for Argentina at the Russia 2018 World Cup.

The 57-year-old has now slammed Messi after criticising the Argentina national team's recent poor performances.

Maradona has suggested that Messi’s behavior before a match do not make him a worthy candidate for any kind of leadership role.

"He does ask for it on the pitch, but before speaking to team-mates he'll go and play the Playstation,” Maradona told Mexican programme '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.”

"Messi is Messi at Barcelona and Messi is Messi with Argentina,” Maradona added.

"I wouldn't call up Messi, but never say never. There's a need to take pressure off him.

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

Lionel Messi leads in the Argentina's all-time top scorers chart. 

Lionel Messi- 65 goals

Gabriel Batistuta- 45 goals

Sergio Aguero- 39 goals

Hernan Crespo- 35 goals

Diego Maradona - 34 goals

The football legend took charge of Messi and Argentina at the 2010 World Cup In South Africa. 

Meanwhile, Messi's cousin Maxi Biancucchi has hit back by saying Maradona was 'ignorant' over his comments.

The 34-year-old, a professional footballer with second division Paraguayan side Rubio Nu who is nicknamed El Primo de Messi - Spanish for Messi's cousin - raged: 'It's ignorant to discredit Leo.

'It's sad to see how someone who boasts of being a leader can talk so badly about a player who's currently the best we've got and will probably be so for a long time yet.

And he's done it at a time when he should be helping to rebuild if he loves the national side as he says he does.'