Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi; born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona. Often considered the best player in the world and rated by many in the sport as the greatest of all time, Messi is the only football player in history to win five FIFA Ballons d'Or, four of which he won consecutively, and the first player to win three European Golden Shoes. With Barcelona he has won eight...
NationalityArgentinian
ProfessionSoccer Player
Date of Birth24 June 1987
CitySanta Fe, Argentina
I never had any problems with my height. I was always the smallest kid, at school and in my teams.
I NEVER LOOK BACK AT WHAT I HAVE ACHIEVED BECAUSE I AM ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE FUTURE. I CAN LOOK BACK AT WHAT I HAVE ACHIEVED WHEN I AM RETIRED - BUT UNTIL THEN IT IS ALL ABOUT FOCUS.
My style of play has always been the same. I never tried to develop a specific style. From very young I just played this way.
OF COURSE MONEY TAKES WORRY OUT OF YOUR LIFE AND ENABLES YOU TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR FAMILY - BUT IF IT WAS PLAYING PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL FOR FREE OR CHOOSE ANOTHER LIVING, THEN I WOULD CHOOSE FOOTBALL EVERY TIME.
I always thought about carrying on training and working, chasing my dream.
NO MATTER WHAT YOU ACHIEVE, EVERY SEASON IS A NEW SEASON. WHAT YOU ACHIEVED THE SEASON BEFORE IS NO LONGER RELEVANT.
I repeat what I always say: I want the best for Argentina in every way. I never try to make trouble for anybody.
Being named among the best is special and beautiful. But if there are no titles, nothing is won.
There's nothing more satisfying than seeing a happy and smiling child. I always help in any way I can, even if it's just by signing an autograph. A child's smile is worth more than all the money in the world.
You have to show up in the World Cup, and in the World Cup anything can happen.
Argentina is my country, my family, my way of expressing myself. I would trade all of my records for the World Cup trophy.
One of the Arsenal players came up to me afterwards and said it had been an honor to be on the same pitch as me. I thought, My God, that is a great thing to say when your team has just lost.
I go out and do the best I can in each game, and I don't think about the fouls other players will commit or whether I might be injured. It only does you harm to worry about those things.
I've always really just liked football, and I've always devoted a lot of time to it. When I was a kid, my friends would call me to go out with them, but I would stay home because I had practice the next day. I like going out, but you have to know when you can and when you can't.