Argentine legend hits out at Messi & MLS: He’s playing in a farmer’s league

Former Boca Juniors and Argentina keeper Hugo ‘Loco’ Gatti is far from convinced with Messi at Inter Miami.

Not all Argentines are unconditional supporters of Inter Miami star Lionel Messi. Hugo Orlando Gatti, a Boca Juniors legend and World Cup player with Argentina in 1966, lashed out at the striker stating that he will continue to be “one less player in the national team.”

During an interview with Argentina’s ‘La Nación’, Gatti admitted his devotion to Diego Maradona, but claims he doesn’t feel the same way about the former Barcelona player, who believes that he always had an easy time at the Catalan club and also the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“I don’t dislike Messi, but he has had it easy. I saw him playing for FC Barcelona where the referees were whistle-happy and and blew every time he was touched. He was also surrounded by great players who essentially played for him” Gatti told the Argentine outlet.

Even though Messi is looking at playing with Argentina at the the 2026 World Cup, where he will seek to win the second world title, ‘El Loco’ claimed that “Messi could make it, but he will be one less for the team as he is playing his football in a ‘farmer’s league (MLS) in the United States”.

Dibu the star

Gatti believes that the true figure of the World Cup was goalkeeper Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez, adamant that the Aston Villa was the ‘Albiceleste’s star player’. ‘Dibu’ has the movements of a 20-year-old but I’m anxious to see how he deals with adversity as up to now, it’s been a series of success for him".

Cristiano eclipses Messi

When asked to about that question on Cristiano and Messi, Gatti had no doubts about choosing the Portuguese striker and is convinced that the Saudi Arabia Pro League is more competitive than MLS.

“It’s harder to play there. Everyone plays there. They chase you, they kill you. Cristiano although now limited in his speed and movement is still a phenomenon. But this limited version of Ronaldo I feel is still better than Messi. Where did Messi play? At Barça and in the Argentine national team. Messi didn’t push himself to play in other teams, in other countries. And he had opportunities, eh?" he added.

Finally, Gatti downplayed Messi’s performance at the 2022 World Cup, saying that “they didn’t kick him even once. In football, if they let you play, as Alfredo Di Stéfano said, you play every day. On the other hand, Maradona was kicked to death. Messi doesn’t get fouled to that level. Diego was constantly getting fouled and every time he was hit, he fell down and got up again. You touch Messi and he stays there.”