Argentina manager Diego Maradona has played down talk of the off-side controversy in Sunday night's 3-1 Round of 16 win over Mexico.

The Argentines had a goal allowed when Lionel Messi chipped the ball to Carlos Tevez who headed home for the opener and although he was blatantly off-side, the goal stood.

Mexico boss Javier Aguirre complained about the decision but Maradona was not buying into El Tri's bad luck especially with how the harsh treatment of his star man, Messi, gets constantly overlooked.

"He must have felt the same as we have felt when Messi gets kicked around and the referee does not act," Maradona said of Aguirre's disappointment.

"I have lived that myself, when I was a player when you had three players on you 20 years ago.

"Whenever Messi has the ball everyone is trying to kick his legs, what is being done to Messi is a scandal - they don't even look for the ball they try to kick him.

"I understand the Mexicans' feelings but there is a limit to everything."