Sampaoli: Lionel Messi 'Suffers' Because Argentinians 'Enjoy Destroying Things'

Former Argentina national team manager Jorge Sampaoli has blamed Lionel Messi's struggles with the team and his poor reception in his homeland on Argentine society, saying the people enjoy "destroying things much more" than they enjoy success. 

Per Goal's Chris Burton, Sampaoli made the comments about the Barcelona star while speaking in Brazil:

"I coached the best player in the world, I don't [know] if he's the best in history, because he now has more than 600 goals in Europe, he's broken all the records, but he arrives in his country and he's criticised.

"Beyond his ability, he's a human being, Argentinians struggle to enjoy Messi as Barcelona fans enjoy him.

"The boy suffers a lot, from what I've gone through, he suffers that reality a lot.

"He cannot show the world all that he is when plays for Argentina.

"[Argentine] society enjoys destroying things much more than it enjoys success."

MIGUEL SCHINCARIOL/Getty Images

Messi is frequently placed among the greatest players of all time because of his incredible achievements at the club level, but at the age of 31, he has yet to guide Argentina to even a single piece of silverware, apart from an Olympic title in 2008.

Per Jere Longman of the New York Times, Messi has never been a popular figure in his homeland due to his decision to leave for Barcelona at the age of 13.

While he has collected an incredible amount of trophies in Spain―he can win his 10th La Liga title on Saturday and has won the UEFA Champions League four times―his lack of success with the Albiceleste has only added to his low popularity in Argentina.

The latest heartbreak came at last year's World Cup, where the South Americans lost 4-3 to eventual champions France in the knockout stages:

Sampaoli coached the team during that tournament and was sacked shortly after. Messi briefly stepped away from the team, but has since returned and will lead the Albiceleste at the Copa America this summer.

Argentina won't go into that tournament as the favourite to win, with archrivals Brazil hosting and the Albiceleste in dreadful form. The 3-1 defeat against Venezuela in a March friendly highlighted a lack of discipline and organisation, per ESPN FC:

Messi is Argentina's all-time top scorer, sitting well ahead of the likes of Gabriel Batistuta, Sergio Aguero, Hernan Crespo and Diego Maradona.