Argentina star Lionel Messi has guaranteed that he is not considering retiring from international football despite all the criticism from media and fans. The diminutive midfielder has expressed his affection for the national team, before revealing his admiration for Chile's Alexis Sanchez and Brazil's Neymar. Earlier on Thursday, Julio Grondona, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), suggested Messi could stop playing for his country if all the negative remarks about him did not stop. The Barcelona ace has now guaranteed he will not quit Argentina, though he confessed that such comments had an impact on the team. "We suffered a lot with the criticism, although we know we were not doing things right, but at the same time they helped us, because they made us stronger as a group," Messi said at a press conference. "Although I get criticised, I will always come to the national team. I come because I always want to play and I will not change because of what the press say. "I have never cared about what the press say and I will not start now. The only thing I care about is what the fans say ... no-one likes to be insulted. "I come to the national team because I feel it it is part of me, and I try to stay distant from all this. This is the first time I have been through something like this with the media, but I am not going to change." Quizzed about Neymar, Messi stated that the Santos star "is a really good player" and that it would be great if he moved to Spain. About Udinese's Alexis Sanchez, who is very close to joining Barcelona, Messi said: "I have known him for some time, he is a great player and he would be a great signing for us because he would add a lot to our team." Goal.com