Lionel Messi fires back at Kylian Mbappe's claim that Euros are harder than World Cup: 'There are a lot of world champions left off'

Lionel Messi has fired back at Kylian Mbappe's claim that the Euros are a harder competition than the World Cup, with the Argentina star pointing out that the former tournament is missing several world champions.

Ahead of Euro 2024 in Germany, Mbappe claimed that the continental tournament was 'more complicated than a World Cup,' but Messi disagreed with that claim from his former PSG teammate.

'Well, everybody prioritizes their tournament,' Messi began to ESPN Argentina, ahead of his country's participation in this summer's Copa America.

'Obviously, the Euros is very important and has the best teams, but he's leaving out three-time champion Argentina, five-time champion Brazil, two-time champion Uruguay. There are a lot of world champions left off to say that it's the most difficult tournament.

'The best teams play in the World Cup, which generally includes all the world champions. There's a reason everybody wants to be champions.'

Messi's Argentina are the reigning Copa America champions after beating Brazil in the 2021 final, while France are looking for their first trophy since winning the World Cup in 2018.

Mbappe won the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but his France would fall at the last hurdle to Messi's Argentina.

Ahead of this summer's Euros, the French forward explained why he believed the Euros to be the world's hardest international competition.

'The Euros are complicated. For me, more complicated than a World Cup,' Mbappe said at a press conference.

'Even if there is more pressure at the World Cup. All the teams know each other, we play against each other all the time. Tactically, it is a very similar soccer.'

He also echoed a similarly pro-Europe sentiment before the 2022 World Cup, saying that the likes of Argentina and Brazil don't face the same level of competition.

'The advantage we Europeans have is that we always play between us, in high level matches like the Nations League,' he said, via Bolavip.

'When we arrive to the World Cup, we are ready. Brazil and Argentina don't have that level in South America. Soccer is not as advanced as here in Europe. That's why the last World Champions are always Europeans.'

France begin their Euros campaign vs. Austria on June 17, while Argentina will face Canada on June 20.