Former Argentina captain and manager has endured a rocky relationship with the current captain but appeared full of praise for Messi ahead of crucial Group D match
DIEGO MARADONA kissed a Lionel Messi Argentina shirt just before kick-off as his country face Croatia in their crucial Group D World Cup match.
Maradona, 57, jumped around in the VIP seats at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, circling the shirt around his head before giving it a kiss.
He did have what appeared to be some kind of body guard holding onto him just in case he got too carried away with his pre-match fun.
Argentina need to win tonight to have any real chance of keeping their hopes of top spot in the group alive, so maybe it was a kiss of good luck from one Argentina legend to another.
Messi missed a crucial penalty in the 1-1 draw against Iceland on Saturday and will be hoping to put the struggle of that game behind him tonight.
Argentina were one of a number of pre-tournament favourites who failed to win their opening game at this summer's World Cup, along with Brazil and Germany.
But Maradona will be hoping he will still be celebrating come full-time.
Tensions threatened to rise before the tournament when Maradona claimed everything that Messi is doing, he has already done before and Sergio Ramos also had his say on the Messi-Maradona debate this week.
Messi led his side to the final four years ago but lost 1-0 to Germany and the Barcelona forward will be hoping Argentina can go one step further this time out.
After all, the World Cup is the one major trophy missing from Messi's illustrious cabinet.
