Piers Morgan is not a fan of Lionel Messi's World Cup indulgence and has claimed he is "slightly over-egging" it.
The divisive broadcaster's post on social media came accompanied with a screenshot of Messi's Instagram, which has featured five successive posts of himself celebrating his success in Qatar, including a snap of him sleeping with the World Cup trophy. Victory on Sunday meant that the PSG star claimed the only prize in football that had eluded him.
For many the victory rubber stamps the 35-year-old as the game's greatest - a view that Morgan does not share. Messi has long been known and praised for his humility, but the former GMB host has suggested he is going too far as he rejoices in his international success. He wrote: "OK, Lionel.. we get it, you won the World Cup. You’re slightly over-egging the gloating soufflé now…"
Morgan has also called out Messi's actions - or lack of - during Argentina's celebrations in Buenos Aires. Emiliano Martinez, his country's penalty shootout hero, has mocked Kylian Mbappe after the victory. The goalkeeper has carried a doll with Mbappe's face on it whilst partying.
"Why is Messi letting Martinez mock & humiliate Mbappe like this? They’re teammates at PSG, just so weird & graceless," he said, alongside a photo of the goalkeeper and Messi.
Messi scored seven times at the World Cup, with his performances seeing him named the tournament's best player as he claimed the Golden Ball for the second time - the only player in history to do so. The Argentine also became the first man to ever score in the group stages, last 16, quarter-finals, semi-final and final.
Such exploits saw him heavily praised throughout the four weeks in Qatar - which Morgan also took issue with. The likes of Gary Lineker, who is vocal in his admiration for Messi, was among those to heap superlatives on the Barcelona legend which provoked a response from the former newspaper editor.
He said: "The relentless Messi fan-girling by the whole BBC punditry team is getting excruciatingly obsequious. Getting worried one of them might have an ‘accident’ in the studio. Calm yourselves, lads. He had a good game against an average side. See how he does against a good team."
Morgan, a man know for his conviction when it comes to any opinion, opposes Messi's status as the game's standout individual. Not only does he rank those from history above him, but also his long-time rival Ronaldo, who endured a forgettable World Cup as he was benched for both knockout games before Portugal's last eight exit.
The Argentine's success, at a time when his rival is in something of a downward spiral, without a club, has only fed the narrative that the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner will pip his adversary when their respective chapters are written in football's history books. Morgan, unsurprisingly, counters that idea vehemently.
In the aftermath of the final, when he was being inundated with tweets, Morgan posted a GIF of Ronaldo winking alongside the caption: "Yes, I agree that settles the debate once and for all… @Cristiano is the GOAT".
In many ways, Messi is his footballing Meghan Markle. An individual that wrangles with him due to their status and fondness in the eyes of many, albeit he is willing to hand the Argentine praise, unlike the Duchess of Sussex.
The broadcaster was interviewed on TalkSport and put up, what he called, a "passionate and forensic defence" of Ronaldo as the greatest ever ahead of Messi, who he accused of sitting in his "Barcelona comfort blanket" for much of his career, and claimed the World Cup would not end the debate.
He said: "One World Cup does not a GOAT make. Maradona to me is the greatest Argentinean to ever play the game, I don't think Messi even gets that title. When you look at the stats of Ronaldo and Messi - important to remember Ronaldo is older than Messi. Also important to remember, unlike Messi who stayed in his Barcelona comfort blanket for 16/17 years, Ronaldo has won league titles in four different countries including the three most competitive leagues in the world.
"He's taken himself out of comfort zones, he could've stayed at Real Madrid if he wanted to, but he's deliberately taken himself into new leagues, new battles, new challenges. Messi has only ever done it in Barcelona where, all around him, the entire time, were the world's greatest players, whereas Ronaldo has often had to lead that line himself."
Ronaldo's interaction and relationship with Morgan led to him giving a tell-all interview with him on TalkTV shortly before the World Cup. That has since led to Manchester United ending the player's contract with the Portuguese star now looking for an employer.
Meanwhile, success in Qatar for Messi comes as his current PSG outfit sit top of Ligue 1 with a Champions League knockout tie to come against Bayern Munich. The forward is also now the favourite to claim an eighth Ballon d'Or when the award is handed out next year.
