‘Football owes Messi but World Cup won’t define him’ – Crespo admits it is ‘very difficult’ to be Barcelona star

Football “owes” Lionel Messi, says Hernan Crespo, but the “greatness” of a Barcelona superstar will not be diminished if his career ends without World Cup glory secured.

An all-time great, with six Ballons d’Or and countless club honours to his name, is still waiting on a first senior triumph with Argentina.

Final heartache has been endured on a regular basis, with Messi falling agonisingly short at a number of Copa America tournaments and the 2014 World Cup.

It has been suggested that the 32-year-old needs a global crown in order to stand alongside, or even rise above, fellow countryman and 1986 hero Diego Maradona.

Crespo claims that is not the case, with Messi already assured of a place among the very best to play the game, but the former Albiceleste striker hopes a medal collection can be completed.

He told Ole: “It is very difficult to be Messi, nobody can put himself in his place as nobody could, at the time, put himself in Maradona’s place.

“It is impossible to know what they think and what they live.

“It makes me happy to see him play in the national team, I would love, as an Argentine also, to see him become world champion.

“Leo is a guy who has been at a very high level for many years, receives kicks, gets up and carries on, always working.

“Actually, if you think about it, somehow it is soccer that owes Messi. But that is not going to take away greatness.

“We are Argentines and we want him to be world champion, I want it all my heart, but he goes beyond a title and he will not stop being immense.”

Crespo is not the first to suggest that Messi deserves a World Cup triumph, given all that he has achieved in the game.

Argentina goalkeeper Oscar Ustari has said: "I have no doubt that if Messi isn't world champion, football will be unfair.

"Doubting Messi is nonsense. Things can go well or not, but I can tell you that I have seen him crying like a child because of what was happening in the national team. It's very difficult to be in his shoes.

"I remember that in the 2011 Copa America I was recovering from my knee and, when they lost, I went to see Messi at the Ezeiza venue and I saw him like I had never seen him before, devastated."