'People had to separate us': Ex-Argentina defender talks about locker room fight with Lionel Messi

Bengaluru, July 17: Lionel Messi might be the golden boy of Argentina, but the 31-year-old has been accused often of having a weak character both for Barcelona and the national side. The latest in the saga occured during the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia when Argentina lost to eventual runners-up Croatia and drew against Iceland in the group stages. Messi is accused of showing a poor character when his team needed him the most.

However, Messi has found unlikely support from former teammate and defender Nicolas Burdisso, who shared a dressing room incident highlighting the Barcelona talisman strong work ethics.

The 37-year-old defender spent most of his career in Italy and has played for Inter, Roma, Genoa and Torino. He recollected an incident involving Messi and said the brawl makes it clear that Messi puts his team first.

Nicolas Burdisso reveals his #Argentina career essentially ended after a "physical confrontation in the locker room" with Lionel Messi in 2011 https://t.co/mCDfLghpH8 #ARG pic.twitter.com/MI4WTpJAj2

— footballitalia (@footballitalia) July 15, 2018

Burdisso has shared how Messi was once infuriated that he did not pass the ball to him during a game, and took his anger out on the centre-back at half-time in the dressing room. “We had a physical confrontation in the locker room,” Burdisso told Telefe in Argentina. “I don’t think I was the only one who ever shouted at him, but things can happen in a locker room. Admittedly, that time we went over the line.

“We’d already argued on the pitch, as he wanted the ball and I tried to pass it to him, but couldn’t. He got angry about the game, I was angry at the situation. We walked into the locker room and when I saw that he was coming over, I waited for him. They had to physically separate us.

“These things happen in football. Lionel does have a strong personality and so do I. It all ended fine.”

The 37-year-old played for Argentina only 49 times and his international duties ended rather abruptly after the 2011 edition of the Copa America, the same year he had the spat with Messi.

The defender has not got a call-up since then and many suggest that it might be due to Messi's influence. However, it is mainly because the defender fell down the pecking order behind the likes of Ezequiel Garay, Nicolas Otamendi and Marcos Rojo and has not consistently turned in decent performances for his club.

The 37-year-old is currently a free agent and is looking for a club. He played for Torino last season, appearing 25 times in their Serie A campaign.