Argentina defender Martin Demichelis has lashed out at John Terry, claiming if he performs as badly against Germany as the England man did last weekend he would not be allowed home.
Although a war of words between Argentina and Germany has ignited a fuse between the two sides ahead of Saturday's World Cup quarter-final between the pair in Cape Town, they have joined forces to stick the boot into England.
Demichelis' turn came after a training session in Pretoria this evening when he was quizzed about his poor recent form.
The Bayern Munich centre-half made a major error in the group encounter with South Korea, gifting the Asian outfit a goal which briefly put Argentina on the back foot.
Demichelis was also severely criticised for his performance against Inter Milan in the Champions League final and the spotlight will be on him when he tries to subdue a German strike-force which contains Bayern team-mate Miroslav Klose.
Yet, according to Demichelis, all this is relative.
If you want an example of a real pitiful defensive display, he feels you should look at what Terry did in Bloemfontein last Sunday.
"Seeing the way Terry played against Germany, if I was Terry I wouldn't be able to go back to my country," said Demichelis.
"I'm strong but I'm not a masochist so I don't read every criticism about me.
"I know that when the team is playing well there are always people who look for a weakness, for example me, but I know I can overcome this bad moment."
It was the second time in a matter of hours England's woeful World Cup performance had been attacked.
On the first occasion, the bullets had been fired from the German camp, where general manager Oliver Bierhoff laid in after captain Phillip Lahm had delivered the kind of withering condemnation England's shoddy displays deserved.
"Now we are up against our own big five," said Lahm, with reference to the jungle animals that are such a prominent feature of life in South Africa.
"We have to show we can finally beat a big team - someone like Argentina, Brazil or Spain.
"Definitely, these are bigger opponents than England."
That brutal slap down came as the inquest into a record 4-1 defeat to Germany was still continuing.
German coach Joachim Low identified England's weaknesses with the minimum of fuss and then exposed them in front of a worldwide audience.
It left Capello and his boys to pack their bags, along with South Korea, Japan, Slovakia, Chile and the others who made their exit from South Africa at the last 16 stage.
That England are now longer regarded as a big team by the country they regard as a benchmark may fly in the face of evidence provided by that famous 5-1 win in Munich, or even the 2-1 triumph in Berlin under Capello in November 2008.
However, undeniably, when it counts, Germany have an ingredient England do not.
"It is the mentality," claimed Lahm.
"At a very early age every young player learns how to deal with troublesome, complex, pressure situations.
"Even at 13 or 14 new players arrive at big-name clubs and force the others out.
"Dealing with things like that gives you the right kind of mentality. It makes you mentally strong and lets you know you can survive real pressure when you experience it later on."
There is clearly a technical aspect too, which is why Germany admit they will not find it as easy to overcome Argentina as they did England.
In Bloemfontein, Germany knew England's midfield would push forward at every opportunity, which meant that if they could draw John Terry out of his central defensive position, their opponents would be fatally weakened.
"It is not going to be easy on Saturday because Argentina are a stronger side than England," said Germany general manager Oliver Bierhoff.
"There were some obvious English weaknesses that had all been there in the group stages.
"Argentina are much more powerful and stronger. They have very few weaknesses - although there must be some."