Maradona questions legitimacy of Messi retirement

After he recently reversed his decision to quit Argentina’s national side, the 55-year-old has placed doubts on whether Lionel Messi’s retirement was genuine

Despite previously siding with Lionel Messi in regards to his international retirement, Diego Maradona has now controversially claimed that it could have been an act to help the public forget about Argentina’s on-field disappointment.

Having recently met with new Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza, the Barcelona ace has been persuaded to swiftly reverse his retirement decision, something which Messi’s Argentinian predecessor views as strange.

“I do not know if Messi’s retirement was a set-up to help us forget about the fact that we lost three finals in a row,” said Maradona to Radio La Red. “The lad first said that he was going to give up and then took a step back and managed to change his mind in just a matter of weeks.”

These comments come shortly after the former Napoli man wrongly claimed that he thought that Messi would not return to the Argentina national side.

“I think that Messi will say no to Bauza in respect to wearing the national shift once again,” said the 55-year-old previously. “Obviously this is just my thoughts and I hope that I am wrong.”