Football icon Lionel Messi has opened up about his footballing talent and tried to make sense of it by stating that he was “chosen by God” and that he has tried to make full use of the gifts given to him.
Messi turned 37 on June 24 and is widely recognized as the greatest of all time by many due to his exploits on the football pitch. His eight Ballon d’Or awards win are a record and three more than Cristiano Ronaldo, who is his closest competitor.
The striker is currently representing the Argentina national team at the Copa America and, in an interview with podcaster Juan Pablo Varsky, tried to explain his talent and qualities.
“It’s very clear to me that I was born like this because God chose me. It was a gift he gave me. I tried to take advantage of it, I did everything possible to squeeze the most out of it. The truth is, although I did many things, I did nothing to become the player that I already was when I was little,” Messi stated.
Messi’s journey took a big leap when he was signed by Barcelona at the age of 13, and it was with the Spanish giants that he became a great player. The 37-year-old is currently the most decorated player of all time, having secured his 44th trophy after leading Inter Miami to the 2023 Leagues Cup last August.
He has been instrumental in the success of Barcelona’s, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami, and the Argentina national team in recent years. In addition to his eight Ballon d’Or awards, the striker has also claimed six European Golden Shoe awards, eight Pichichi Trophies, and two FIFA World Cup Golden Ball honors, among numerous other achievements.
Messi football game created yet another record in his illustrious career by becoming the new record-holder for appearances in Copa America history during Argentina’s 2-0 win over Canada in their Group A fixture at the Mercedes-Benz stadium on Friday, June 21 (Philippine Standard Time).
The record-eight time Ballon d’Or award winner has now made 35 appearances in the Copa America, surpassing Sergio Livingstone of Chile who had 34 appearances to his name. The striker made his Copa America debut in 2007, when he started against Venezuela under former Argentina manager Alfio Basile.
The football icon is also on course to become the all-time record goalscorer in Copa America history. Messi has currently scored 13 goals in 35 games, and needs four more goals to tie with the current leaders, Argentina’s Norberto Mendez and Zizinho of Brazil, who have each netted 17 goals.
He will be next seen in action when Argentina face Chile in their second Group A game on Wednesday, June 26 (Philippine Standard Time) at the MetLife Stadium.
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