Lionel Messi, Beware! Brazil legend Roberto Carlos issues strong warning to Argentina captain

Football icon Roberto Carlos has issued a stern warning to Lionel Messi and Argentina, urging them not to underestimate Brazil in the upcoming Copa America. 

Despite Brazil's disappointing World Cup campaign in Qatar – bowing out to Croatia in the quarter-finals on penalties – and the recent coaching change post-Tite, with caretaker Ramon Menezes and interim Fernando Diniz taking charge, Carlos asserts Argentina must not underestimate them.

Star player Neymar's return to peak form is uncertain due to a serious ACL injury expected to sideline him until mid-2024, which puts his participation in next year's tournament in doubt.

However, Carlos, a World Cup winner himself, cautions against underestimating Brazil's competitive edge in the upcoming Copa America.

"Never underestimate the Brazilian national team, I speak from experience," Carlos told Mirror Sport at the Web Summit in Lisbon last month, where he was promoting his hate-free social media platform, Striver.

"We’ve got a new manager now and we just need to give him some time to work. We have great players and a good manager, I’m sure Copa America will be competitive and very exciting."