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What's the story?
The hero of Argentina's 1978 World Cup conquest, Mario Kempes, has hailed Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo as a player who plays for his team rather than just himself, contrary to popular belief, in an interview with Spanish sports publication AS.
He also went ahead to claim that as things stand, his compatriot Lionel Messi's actions on the pitch suggest that he's turned into a selfish player. He was talking to the media house ahead of Barcelona's Copa del Rey final against his former club, Valencia.
In case you didn't know...
Kempes, one of the most lethal finishers of his era, remains one of the best Argentines to grace the Spanish top-flight, with an impressive record of 47 goals in 92 games for Los Che.
El Matador, as he is fondly referred to, is only one of three players to have won the Golden Boot, Golden Ball, and the World Cup in the same edition of the tournament. The other two legends having the distinction are Brazilian forward Garrincha and Italian icon Paolo Rossi.
Barcelona has won 8 domestic doubles, four more than arch-rivals Real Madrid, and only German powerhouse Bayern Munich have more honours to their name, having clinched the double a record 11 times.
The heart of the matter...
Kempes, a Copa del Rey winner with Valencia, analysed his old club's chances at the Estadio Benito Villamarín when they go up against LaLiga champions Barca on Saturday. He lamented the fact that though Valencia has a good squad, Barca are the favourites.
When asked about Messi, he said that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has slowed down a bit, but is still Barca's biggest threat. He told AS:
"Messi is Messi and Messi is Barcelona. What you do or do not do is key. When Messi is in the field, prepare yourself, because you do not know at what moment he is going to mess you up."
"Although I think he has slowed down a bit and now I see him wanting to do more things on his own."
He added to his above statement by comparing the 31-year-old with his arch-nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo, who Kempes believed to be a better team player than the Argentine captain. He clarified:
"Before I saw him[Messi] as a team player, now I see him more selfish in his actions. It is the opposite of Cristiano, who now plays more for the team than for the 'me'."
What's next?
In their quest for a ninth double, Barcelona will face Valencia at Estadio Benito Villamarín on Saturday, following which the curtain would be drawn on the 2018-19 season in Spain.
