Maradona slams Messi: He's not a leader, uses toilet '20 times before a game'

Diego Maradona doesn't believe Lionel Messi is worthy of your devotion.

The Argentine legend argued his compatriot isn't a football God, questioning Messi's leadership skills while claiming he's a completely different player with the national team compared to his superb displays on the pitch for Barcelona. He also took an apparent dig at the Barca star's pre-match nerves.

"We shouldn't deify Messi any longer," Maradona told Fox Sports, according to Reuters. "He's Messi when he plays for Barcelona. Messi is Messi when he wears that shirt, and he's another Messi with Argentina.

"He's a great player but he's not a leader. It's useless trying to make a leader out of a man who goes to the toilet 20 times before a game."

Maradona, who was named manager of Mexican second division club Dorados last month, went on to say that the 31-year-old star is taking a well-deserved break from the national team following Argentina's disappointing performance at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.