Johan Cruyff thinks that the Argentinian team and the critics of Lionel Messi should look at the other players in the Albiceleste team before singling out the Barcelona forward.

The Dutch legend was unhappy that the Blaugrana star was once again highlighted as not being on form in his country's recent World Cup victories.

Argentina scraped through to the World Cup Finals, but Cruyff does not think that anyone can blame Messi because for him to be on song, the entire first eleven needs to play well too.

"Football is a team game where quality comes from a combined effort," he explained in his weekly column for El Periodico.

"Eveyrone around you has to be playing at their best in order to ensure that you are at your best.

"Argentina does not do this with Messi and the worst thing is that they do not see it or that they do not want to see it."

Cruyff then reflected on Barcelona's lacklustre goalless draw with Valencia at the weekend and blamed the 'FIFA' virus' after the international break.

"The players were incredibly exhausted and that was why they showed a mental and physical slowdown and that translated into too many lost balls."