MEXICO CITY, Nov 30 — Mexico captain Andres Guardado has defended Lionel Messi after boxer Canelo Alvarez issued a threat to the Argentine having taken offence at a video appearing to show the striker nudging away a Mexico jersey on the floor with his foot.

Messi scored in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Mexico at the World Cup on Saturday and Mexican Alvarez, who has around 2.2 million followers on Twitter, said the striker "should ask God that I don’t find him” having taken offence at the video.

But the 36-year-old Guardado, who is playing in his fifth World Cup, said he saw nothing out of the ordinary himself.

"It’s an agreement with the props: when you leave everything sweaty on the floor it’s all to wash,” Guardado told reporters.

"I’ve had the fortune and the privilege of facing Messi for many years in Spain ... I know the person he is. Unfortunately, maybe Canelo doesn’t understand what it’s like in a dressing room.”

Mexico must win their final Group C match against Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to have any chance of reaching the last 16 in Qatar. — Reuters