EXCLUSIVE: The Juventus striker says his team-mate deserves respect from Argentina fans and believes weight loss has been key to the Barcelona forward's fine form in 2015

By Ezequiel Scher & Ben Hayward in La Serena Argentina forward Carlos Tevez says anyone who does not appreciate team-mate Lionel Messi knows nothing about football.Argentina kick off their Copa America campaign against Paraguay in a Group B clash on Saturday night, with Messi the main attraction in the Albiceleste attack and Tevez expected to start on the bench in La Serena.The Barcelona forward, a four-time Ballon d'Or winner, led the Albiceleste to the World Cup final last summer as Tevez was left out by previous coach Alejandro Sabella.Nevertheless, Carlitos remains more popular than Leo with many Argentines even now, with his humble roots meaning he is seen by many as the "player of the people".But the 31-year-old says Messi deserves the utmost recognition from his compatriots.

"I believe people do love Messi because he’s Argentine and because he's the best in the world," Tevez told the Copa America's official site in an interview.

And he added: "He who doesn’t love Messi knows nothing about football. I don’t know what’s going on in their heads."Tevez now considers himself a better player since slimming down in recent years - and he believes Messi has also benefited from losing weight recently."I'm eight kilos lighter," he said. "I think I am better physically, better emotionally and better in football terms. I am a better player than I was before."Messi is still the same. But what has changed is that he has three or four kilos less than before. That means he has more desire, it changes your state of mind, it changes everything."I believe he is in his best moment."