«The best of all time», «a genius», «an alien»: important football people and other celebrities have bowed down to Lionel Messi over the years.
Argentina's captain, who is just one match, just one day away from... footballing eternity, which he will achieve if he manages to lead Argentina to the top of the world tomorrow, in the final (18/12-17:00) against France at the Lusail Stadium, which will conclude the 22nd World Cup in Qatar.
That's what people in football and beyond have said from time to time:
Pep Guardiola (Messi's former coach at Barcelona 2008-2012, in an interview with South American channel Telemundo Deportes on 12 April):
«What does Lionel represent in my career? Everything. Everything, everything. I felt what Phil Jackson must have felt. I felt like I had Michael Jordan, because I had Lionel Messi. There are very few people who dominate their sport with such ease.»
«I feel sorry for those who are trying to get to his throne, but we are ahead of the best player in every respect. He can do anything, every day.»
Diego Maradona (the legend and former Argentina coach (2008-2010), died in 2020):
«Messi, sometimes he plays for Messi. He forgets his teammates. He becomes Deportivo Messi.» (2010).
«Right now he's the best in the world, he's at a whole new level. He's playing football with Jesus.» (2010)
«It's easier to talk to Obama than Messi.» (2009)
«Now I know which player will take my place in football and his name is Lionel Messi. He has something different from other players. He is a leader who leads by example.» (2010)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Messi's great rival, in an interview with British TV presenter Piers Morgan, broadcast on 17 November:
«He's an incredible, magical, top player. We shared the stage for sixteen years. Imagine, sixteen years! So obviously I have a great relationship with him. He's a guy I really respect, the way he always talks about me... A great guy who does great things for football.»
Gerard Piquet (Messi's former Barcelona teammate from 2008-2021) in an interview with The Player's Tribune in March 2018.»
«He's an alien. He's not from this planet. He's the only player that, when I first saw him play when I was 13 years old, I told myself: “Oh, this boy is not human.” He's a killer. He's the best I've ever seen in my entire life. His greatness is in his obsession to win the ball. Maybe it doesn't show on TV, but on the field, you should see his face when he runs to win it from a defender. Messi's magic is not something you can find on YouTube. It's a sensitive expression in his eyes. To explain his greatness I need 5,000 words.».
But football stars
Samuel Etoile Etoile (former Barcelona teammate of Messi 2004-2009, 2010): «There is only one God in football, it's Messi».
Neymar, in September 2022: «Messi is a spectacular player, a genius. And off the pitch, he's one too. It's an honour for me to play alongside him.»
Ronaldo (the «phenomenon») in 2012: «Messi is brilliant. He is a great player, but he will only be a legend when he wins a World Cup with Argentina.»
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, in 2010: «Messi is a PlayStation player. How does he do what he does? I don't know. But it's unique and wonderful.»
Chavi (former Barcelona teammate of Messi from 2004-2015, in 2010): «He's number one. He's the kind of player who only appears once every thirty years.»
Sir Alex Ferguson, (former Manchester United coach in 2012): «Messi is on the same level as Diego Maradona and Pele, in the pantheon with the best of all time».
Vicente del Bosque «former Spain coach, 2017): «I don't think even Maradona dribbled like that, with that speed.»
Giorgio Cellini (former Italy international defender, 1 July 2021: «Messi and I are two left-handed players, but with a slightly different technique, unfortunately».
Luis Figo, in 2010: «Watching Messi play gives me pleasure, it's like having an orgasm. It's an incredible pleasure.»
Celebrities that do not belong to football
Fidel Castro, in 2010: «He appears like a thunderbolt and, with his feet or head, strikes the ball with impudent speed».
Rafael Nadal, in 2011: «Messi is the best player I have ever seen in history».
Kobe Bryant,in 2016: «Ronaldinho (...) I was talking to him and he told me: Kobe, listen, I'm going to introduce you to the guy who will be the best player of all time. I said: 'But you're the best! He said: No, no, no, this kid here is going to be the best. This kid was Lionel Messi, who was only 17 years old.
Barack Obama, in 2016: «My daughters know Pope Francis and now they want to meet Messi. But I have not succeeded.»
A. Vazogiannis
