"The world's best footballer is an Argentinian who, in his own country, has less fans than a referee" says Claudio Mauri in La Nación. The player is Lionel Messi and the article highlights issues raised by poor performances for his country, and his relationship with fans and national manager Diego Maradona.

Referencing other foreign-based players such as Carlos Tevez, Mauri points out that they have a domestic fan base: "All the players have fans in Argentina, except Messi, who left when he was 13 to pursue the footballing dream which he could not fulfil in his country.

"Gonzalo Higuaín was born in Brest, but no Argentinian fan would think of calling him 'The Frenchman', as they do with Messi when they provocatively call him 'The Catalan'." It's an antipathy that will not be overcome by merely performing better for the national side, says Mauri: "Messi could pay off this supposed debt if he comes to play for six months in this country ... proclaiming his happiness and refinding his roots."

Messi's father, Jorge, responded, telling the channel TyC Sports: "What happens to him in the national team could happen to anyone. It can be solved with work. Maybe they treat him differently in Europe. Here, we maltreat him and we batter him." Hernán Claus, of sports daily Olé, agrees: "Messi is right to feel maltreated because the criticism is not just about the way he plays for his national team. Instead, they've accused him of not knowing the national anthem, that he feels Spanish, that he doesn't love the shirt ... Instead of trying to help build a new idol, what we do is demolish him."

But his colleague Adrian Piedrabuena believes it's a problem that comes with the team and their manager: "Lionel has played for Argentina for four years and only shone when Juan Riquelme was playing. It's not his fault they compare him to Diego or that Argentina is not a team which plays to its potential."

And it is misuse of potential that really matters ahead of the World Cup, as Maradona's use of, and relationship with, Messi remains in doubt (conspiracy theorists suggest he is sabotaging Messi's career to maintain his position as the greatest ever Argentinian player). The former Real manager Bernd Schuster tells Spain's Marca: "Argentina have a problem if they can't make Messi play. You can't afford the luxury of Messi not performing in a World Cup. You have to adapt to him. Argentina don't know what to do with Messi. They can still change but it's going to be difficult for them."