Diego Maradona has launched a stinging attack on Alejandro Sabella's Argentina on the eve of their World Cup quarter-final against Belgium.

With Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain among their ranks, Argentina were expected to take this World Cup by storm, but Sabella's men have been far from convincing so far.

Argentina have won all four of their matches by a single goal and they needed an 118th-minute winner from Angel Di Maria to beat unfancied Switzerland in the second round.

Sabella has faced accusations that he is too reliant on Messi, who has scored four of Argentina's seven goals and has provided the team with one assist.

But Maradona, who managed Argentina before Sabella's predecessor Sergio Batista, thinks the South American nation have performed poorly under their current coach in Brazil.

"It seems to me that Argentina today has no idea," the 1986 World Cup-winner told Spanish newspaper AS. "In the first half against Switzerland the team did not have one chance. "My team were a lot more offensive than this one.

"It looks bleak for us if I'm honest. I wish the team played differently, that it exploited all the ability its players have.

"We haven't seen the best from them neither tactically nor individually and this worries me.

"Watching the match against Switzerland, I was alarmed that Higuain didn't have enough forward movement, that he moved inside the central midfielders. I was worried about ( Fernando) Gago's tiredness, that (Javier) Mascherano had to cover all the ground.

"This was a stuttering Argentina. It needs to change its rhythm."

Speaking before Maradona's comments were published, Sabella insisted he was not over-reliant on Messi.

"The goal the other day was a ball won by ( Rodrigo) Palacio – a forward playing as a midfielder," the Argentina coach told a press conference in Brasilia.

"He gave it to Messi and Messi received it in a good position, which allowed him to pass the ball to Di Maria.

"Four years ago he was criticised for not playing well and now you say we depend on him. It's not easy."