Diego Maradona hits out at Lionel Messi, claiming he is no Argentina great

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Maradona and Messi when the former was the Barca boy's national team coach. (AFP)
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Updated 13 October 2018
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Diego Maradona hits out at Lionel Messi, claiming he is no Argentina great

  • Maradona says Messi's form for Argentina tarnishes his claim to be greatest player ever.
  • Deadly Diego adds that Messi is "no leader".

LONDON: Argentina great Diego Maradona has hit out at his countryman Lionel Messi, saying the forward is not a leader on the pitch and should not be considered a footballing God.
Maradona, who along with Brazil’s Pele is widely held to be one of the best players of all time, said Messi was one player at his club Barcelona and another with the national side.
“We shouldn’t deify Messi any longer,” Maradona said in an interview with Fox Sports. “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.”
The reference was believed to be in connection with Messi’s extreme nerves before games that have seen him vomit ahead of some important matches.
Messi, 31, has claimed every possible honor with Barcelona and has won the Ballon d’Or five times.

Messi and Maradona are both revered in Argentina as the best two players the football-mad country has ever produced.


But he has struggled to reproduce the same scintillating form when wearing the blue and white shirt of Argentina.
Messi has been on the losing side in all four of his finals with Argentina — three in the Copa America and at the 2014 World Cup — and has not scored in four World Cup knockout stages.
After another disappointing tournament in Russia this year, where Argentina failed to get past the last 16, Messi opted to take a sabbatical from international football.
Maradona, who made his comments from the Mexican state of Sinaloa, where he recently took over as coach of local second-tier side Dorados, said Messi’s break was a sensible one.
“I wouldn’t call him up right now, but never say never. We have to take the pressure off him,” he said.
Argentina beat Iraq 4-0 on Thursday with a new-look side, taking their unbeaten run since Russia to three games.
A sterner test will take place on Tuesday when they face Brazil in Saudi Arabia — without Messi.


FIA, Formula 1 and all 11 race teams sign 9th Concorde Agreement

Updated 13 December 2025
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FIA, Formula 1 and all 11 race teams sign 9th Concorde Agreement

  • FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem says new contract secures the FIA Formula One World Championship’s long-term future

DUBAI: The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, the global governing body for motorsport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, and Formula One Group, the commercial rights holder, have announced the signing of the Concorde Governance Agreement, a contract defining the regulatory framework and governance terms of the FIA Formula One World Championship until 2030.

This follows the announcement in March that the 2026 Commercial Concorde Agreement had been signed by all the teams and Formula One Group.

Together, these agreements constitute the ninth Concorde Agreement, a major step forward in the professionalisation and global development of the sport.

First introduced in 1981, the Concorde Agreements are designed to promote sporting fairness, technological innovation and operational excellence, and align all key stakeholders around a shared vision for structured governance and continued growth of the sport.

Each iteration of the Concorde Agreements has shaped the FIA Formula One World Championship into the global spectacle it is today.

The ninth Concorde Agreement announced today marks the beginning of a new era of collaboration between the FIA and Formula One Group, who have worked together to write the next chapter in Formula One history, demonstrating mutual respect, transparency and shared purpose between the two organisations.

It confirms the participation of all FIA Formula One World Championship teams, including the incoming Cadillac Formula One team, through the end of the decade, and provides a stable foundation for the sporting and technical evolution of the sport.

The Concorde Agreement underscores the commitment of the FIA, Formula One Group and all teams to continue growing and developing the sport, and to keep driving the momentous expansion it has enjoyed in recent years.

The new contract enables the FIA to invest further in improved race regulation, race direction, stewarding and technical expertise for the benefit of the championship, and means the sport can continue to evolve, providing exciting technological innovation and sporting action for fans, broadcasters and partners, all within a stable and structured regulatory framework.

Combined with record viewership growth, a dynamic race calendar, and increasing engagement from younger audiences, the FIA Formula One World Championship enters this next chapter with unprecedented momentum.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the FIA, said: “The ninth Concorde Agreement secures the FIA Formula One World Championship’s long-term future and I am proud of the dedication that has been invested in this process.

“I would like to thank Stefano Domenicali and his team in what has been a strong collaboration, building a framework grounded in fairness, stability, and shared ambition. This agreement allows us to continue modernising our regulatory, technological, and operational capabilities, including supporting our race directors, officials, and the thousands of volunteers whose expertise underpin every race.

“We are ensuring that Formula One remains at the forefront of technological innovation, setting new standards in global sport.”

Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula One Group, said: “Today is an important day for Formula One. As we celebrate 75 years of this incredible sport, we are proud to write the next chapter in our long and amazing history.

“This agreement ensures that Formula One is in the best possible position to continue to grow around the world. I want to thank the president of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem and all the teams for the collaboration and determination to achieve the best results for the entire sport in our discussions.

“We have a huge amount to be proud of, but we also are focused on the opportunities and exciting potential for Formula One in the years ahead.”