Former Argentine striker Hernan Crespo has admitted that it is very difficult to be in Lionel Messi's shoes, saying despite that the Barcelona star is yet to win the World Cup or Copa America, football owes him, GOAL reports.
Crespo believes that the six-time Ballon d'Or winner's lack of an international trophy will not diminish his greatness even when his career ends.
Messi has reached three Copa America finals as well as one World Cup final and lost all of them. He is still waiting on a first senior triumph with Argentina.
There have been suggestions and discussions that the 32-year-old only needs to win a national laurel before he can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with 1986 hero Diego Maradona.
However, Crespo says the case of Messi is different and that the Barcelona play maker already has a place among the very best to play the game.
"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," Crespo told Ole.
"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.
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