Juan Pablo Sorin has called on Argentina to support Barcelona star Lionel Messi.

The former Barcelona and Villarreal left-back is keen to defend the forward, who recently returned to the Argentine national team setup, following a short exile after the 2018 World Cup.

"We must take care of Messi, and the best way to do it is by not hurting him with criticism that has nothing to do with football," Sorin told Clarin.

"There was damaging criticism [towards Messi], but there has been a natural evolution of Messi with Argentina.

"There is a maturity in him that leads me to say that he is on an extraordinary level.

"He is the first one who wants to play in the national team, just like he does with the Barcelona shirt.

"We are always going to depend on Messi, but he has to have a team that goes along with him; with differences, roles, a community and is solid."