Diego Costa: Argentina must thank god for Lionel Messi

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Diego Costa believes Argentina should be thankful to god that Lionel Messi represents them following a humbling 6-1 defeat against Spain in Madrid.

The Albiceleste began their World Cup preparations without the five-time Ballon d’Or winner but still had too much for Italy, beating them 2-0 in Manchester, however the same could not be said against the 2010 world champions. 

Watching on, Messi saw his countrymen succumb to their joint-heaviest defeat, and Costa, one of Spain’s goal scorers, feels they’re are a much different side without the Barcelona forward.

“You have to do an analysis in all aspects,” he told reporters, as reported by Goal.

“The Argentines criticise Messi a lot, but you can tell that when Messi is not there, they are something else. NaijaBet.com

“A player like Messi should not be criticised. You should thank god that he’s there.

“Messi must always be treated well. Even if he plays a bad game with the national team, having him on the field makes a difference.”

Messi in blue and white

A superb free-kick in the 2016 Copa America Centenario semi-final against the United States saw him surpass Gabriel Batistuta in becoming his country’s leading goalscorer. NaijaBet.com

To date, he’s bagged 61 goals across 123 appearances, with his last three – against Ecuador in October 2017 – guiding Argentina to a place in this summer’s World Cup finals.

But he’s yet to win a major title with the South American giants, who last tasted success in 1993, and he’s endured three lost finals: including the 2014 World Cup final against Germany. NaijaBet.com

The most recent disappointment, against Chile in the aforementioned 2016 Copa America Centenario, saw him temporarily retire, before returning ahead of his fourth World Cup appearance.