1986 FIFA World Cup Diego Maradona has described claims that he attacked Lionel Messi as "false" and has insisted that he "loves" his compatriot. Back in October, the 58-year-old reportedly told Fox Sports in Mexico that Lionel Messi is not a leader. in his statement, he said: "We shouldn't deify Messi any longer," Maradona said in an interview with Fox Sports on Saturday.
"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."
This was reportedly in reference to Lionel Messi's extreme nerves before big matches which, at times, causes him to vomit. In retrospect, the incident attracted massive backlash in the football fraternity although Messi himself failed to react to his former national team coach's words.
In latest development Maradona, speaking to Spanish publication Marca, has revealed that the claims which have been largely propagated by the mainstream media are all falsified.
"All I said was that Leo is a phenomenon. And that there were players who go to the toilet 20 times, but I never made any reference to Leo," he insisted.
The former Barcelona and Napoli star then pleaded with the Argentina skipper to return to the side after he asked to be omitted from international duties indefinitely. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has so far sat out three friendly matches played by the Albiceleste following their unimpressive display at Russia earlier this summer.
"I think he [Lionel Messi] should return because if not, we are in a pickle," Maradona concluded. •
