Retired Argentina striker, Hernán Crespo has stated that team captain, Lionel Messi cannot win the World Cup all by himself.
Crespo, Argentina’s third highest goalscorer, stated this in an interview after Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Iceland.
Messi missed a penalty in an intense Group D opener which earned him a lot of jeers.
But speaking on Messi’s form at the World Cup, Crespo said:
“Let’s start with a fact: Messi deserves a five [for his performance]
”Of course, we expect more from him, but Messi is not Maradona, alone he does not win a World Cup.
”This must be understood first by all Argentinians, and then by his team-mates.
”He is a phenomenon if he is put in the right conditions, like in Barcelona. Otherwise he is struggling.
”But tell me: who helped him against Iceland? [Angel] Di Maria did not get past his opponent once, the midfielders did not support him.”
Crespo, who scored over 300 goals in his 19-year professional footballing career, was one of the most expensive players in the early 2000s.