Lionel Messi has clapped back at Kylian Mbappe’s recent comments that the European Championship was tougher to win than Copa America. The former Paris Saint-Germain teammates have had contrasting views about the continental championships with Mbappe being a vocal critic of South American football in general. 

Speaking to ESPN in an interview, Messi gently reminded Mbappe that multiple times World Cup winners were from South America and were not playing Euros.  

“Well, everybody prioritises their tournament,” Messi said. “Obviously, the Euro is very important and has the best teams, but he’s leaving out three-time champion Argentina, five-time champion Brazil, two-time champion Uruguay. There are a lot of world champions left off to say that it’s the most difficult tournament.

“The best teams play in the World Cup, which generally includes all the world champions. There’s a reason everybody wants to be champion,” he added. 

Ahead of the Euros that start on June 14, Mbappe stirred up controversy by comparing the competitive nature of the tournament with Copa America.  

“I consider the Euros more complicated than the World Cup, more complicated to win. If we talk about level, the Euros is more difficult because we are so used to play against each other. Tactically, it is similar football,” said Mbappe. 

Notably, it wasn’t the first instance that Mbappe had taken a dig at South American football for being ‘inferior’. In the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Mbappe made similar comments but was made to eat the humble pie by Messi’s Argentina in the final. 

“Argentina haven’t played games of great quality to reach the World Cup. In South America football isn’t as advanced as Europe. That’s why if you look at the last World Cups it’s always the Europeans that win,” Mbappe had said at the time.

Mbappe was slammed even then for his statement with players like Lautaro Martinez and former Brazil coach Tite gently reminding the Frenchman to not make such unfair comparisons when conditions and opposition were starkly different.

Emiliano Martinez, the Argentine goalkeeper and hero of the World Cup final said Mbappe did not know enough about South American football to comment. 

“He doesn’t know enough about football. He never played in South America. When you don’t have this experience, it may be better not to talk about it. But it doesn’t matter. We are a great team, recognised as such,”

(With inputs from agencies)