You can criticize his political leanings or the way he lived his life.  Yet when it comes to telling the truth he never backs down. Diego Maradona will compliment you the same way he will criticize you.

At the same time he has also been able to be yet just another person piling on in Argentina on the national team’s recent streak of underachievement. In 2005, Maradona invited Lionel Messi to his television show and declared him right there as his successor. Now he goes out on the offensive talking about the one weakness in Messi’s game.

“Lio plays for Lio,” said El Diego in an interview with Fox Sports. “He forgets his teammates. He’s Deportivo Messi.”

Maradona criticized Messi’s game as he mentioned that he does not play together with Riquelme and Agüero. “I do hope that Messi ends up being greater than me because it would be good for all Argentines. You do not win by abundence you win by attacking,” said Maradona. The former Barcelona star now “annointed” Atlético star Sergio Agüero as the new heir appaarent. How ironic to do that now that he is the father of his grandchild. Maradona also mentioned that the most important player on the Argentine sideright now is Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano.

Messi arrived in Barcelona on Thursday night and will be questionable for Barcelona’s home opener against Racing on Saturday as they look to recover from their opening game loss to Numancia on the road. Argentina is currently in third place in the CONMEBOL qualifier standings, despite going winless in their last five matches andhave earned only four out of a possible 15 during this stage.