25 Lionel Messi Quotes — His Motto, Slogan & Sayings on Talent, Humility & Football
Lionel Messi (1987-present) is an Argentine professional footballer widely regarded as the greatest player in the history of the sport. Born in Rosario, Argentina, he was diagnosed at age ten with a growth hormone deficiency that required expensive daily injections his family could not afford. FC Barcelona agreed to pay for his treatment if he would join their youth academy, and the eleven-year-old Messi moved to Spain, where he would spend the next twenty-one years transforming football with his otherworldly dribbling, vision, and scoring ability. He has won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards and led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title.
On December 18, 2022, in the final of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Messi played what many consider the greatest match in football history. Argentina led France 2-0 with ten minutes remaining, then collapsed: Kylian Mbappe scored twice in 97 seconds to force extra time. Messi scored again in extra time, only for Mbappe to complete a hat trick and send the match to penalties. Argentina won the shootout, and Messi -- at 35, in almost certainly his last World Cup -- finally lifted the one trophy that had eluded him throughout his career. When the final penalty went in, Messi dropped to his knees on the field in Lusail Stadium, and his teammates piled on top of him. The image of the greatest footballer of all time, tears streaming down his face, holding the World Cup at last, became one of the most emotional moments in the history of sport. As he has said: "You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it." That lifelong journey -- from a growth-deficient boy in Rosario to the summit of world football -- is the most inspiring story in the history of the beautiful game.
Who Is Lionel Messi?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Born | June 24, 1987, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Sport | Football (Soccer) |
| Known For | Eight Ballon d'Or awards (record); 2022 FIFA World Cup champion; all-time leading scorer for Argentina and FC Barcelona; widely regarded as the greatest footballer in history |
Key Achievements and Episodes
The 2022 World Cup Final — The Greatest Match Ever Played
On December 18, 2022, in the FIFA World Cup final in Lusail, Qatar, Messi played what many consider the greatest match in football history. Argentina led France 2-0 with ten minutes remaining, then collapsed as Kylian Mbappé scored twice in 97 seconds to force extra time. Messi scored again in extra time, only for Mbappé to complete a hat trick and send the match to penalties. Argentina won the shootout, and Messi — at 35, in almost certainly his last World Cup — finally lifted the one trophy that had eluded him. The image of Messi holding the World Cup, tears streaming down his face, became one of the most emotional moments in sports history.
The Growth Hormone Deficiency — Barcelona's Gamble
At age 10, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency that required daily injections costing $900 per month — far beyond his family's means in Rosario, Argentina. After local clubs refused to pay for the treatment, FC Barcelona agreed to cover the medical costs if young Messi would join their La Masia youth academy. The agreement was famously signed on a napkin by sporting director Carles Reixach. The 13-year-old Messi moved to Spain, separated from his family, and endured years of homesickness and daily injections. Barcelona's investment in a small, fragile Argentine boy would yield the greatest player the sport has ever known.
91 Goals in 2012 — The Calendar Year Record
In 2012, Messi scored 91 goals in a single calendar year for club and country, surpassing Gerd Müller's record of 85 that had stood since 1972. The feat was achieved across all competitions for FC Barcelona and the Argentine national team. Messi scored his 86th goal on December 9 against Real Betis, and continued scoring through the end of the year. The record encapsulated his otherworldly consistency — unlike players who produce occasional bursts of brilliance, Messi maintained an almost impossible scoring rate across an entire twelve-month period. The 91-goal year is considered one of the greatest individual achievements in the history of team sports.
Messi Quotes on Hard Work and Perseverance
Lionel Messi's relentless work ethic and natural talent have produced a career of statistical achievements that may never be matched. He has scored over 800 career goals for club and country, won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards, and led FC Barcelona to four Champions League titles as the centerpiece of some of the greatest teams in football history. Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at age ten that required daily injections costing $900 per month -- far beyond his family's means in Rosario, Argentina. FC Barcelona agreed to pay for his treatment if he would join their La Masia youth academy, and the eleven-year-old Messi moved to Spain, where the initial agreement was famously signed on a napkin by sporting director Carles Reixach.
"I start early, and I stay late, day after day, year after year. It took me 17 years and 114 days to become an overnight success."
Interview with Sport magazine, Spain, 2012
"You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it."
Interview with FC Barcelona's official magazine, Barca Magazine, 2013
"Every year I try to grow as a player and not get stuck in a rut. I try to improve my game in every way possible."
Pre-match press conference, UEFA Champions League, October 2015
"There is no harm in dreaming of becoming the world's best player. It is all about trying to be the best. I will keep working hard to achieve it, but it is not an obsession."
Interview with FIFA.com following his first Ballon d'Or win, January 2010
"I always want more. Whether it's a goal, or winning a game, I'm never satisfied."
Interview with TyC Sports, Argentina, 2017
"What I do is play football, which is what I like, and there is nothing better than doing what you love."
Interview with Marca, Spain, December 2011
Messi Quotes on Humility and Character
Messi's humility has set him apart from many footballers of his stature, as he has consistently deflected individual praise toward his teammates and expressed discomfort with the celebrity that accompanies his status. His relationship with Barcelona, which spanned 21 years from youth academy to first team, produced 672 goals in 778 appearances and established him as the greatest player in the club's history. Messi's departure from Barcelona in August 2021, forced by the club's financial crisis despite his willingness to take a salary reduction, was an emotionally devastating moment that saw him break down in tears at his farewell press conference. His subsequent move to Paris Saint-Germain and then to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer demonstrated his continued ability to elevate any team he joins.
"I don't consider myself the best. I'm not obsessed with individual awards. The team always comes first."
Ballon d'Or acceptance speech, Zurich, January 2016
"I prefer to win titles with the team ahead of individual awards or scoring records. I'm more worried about being a good person than being the best football player in the world."
Interview with La Nacion, Argentina, 2014
"I have fun like a child in the street. When the day comes when I'm not enjoying it, I will leave football."
Interview with El Pais, Spain, 2012
"The day you think there is no improvements to be made is a sad one for any player."
Interview with UEFA.com, Champions League preview, 2019
"I would rather be remembered as a good person than as a great footballer."
Interview with Sport magazine, Spain, 2015
"It is important to know where you come from so you know where you are going. I never forget my roots."
Interview with Clarin, Argentina, 2013
"Being a bit famous now gives me the chance to help people who really need it, especially children."
Press conference for the Leo Messi Foundation launch, 2007
Messi Quotes on Overcoming Adversity
Messi's growth hormone deficiency required daily injections from age ten to fourteen, a period during which he stood just 4'2" and faced uncertainty about whether he would grow tall enough to play professional football. The treatment, which Barcelona funded as part of his youth contract, eventually helped him reach 5'7" -- still shorter than most elite footballers but sufficient for his low center of gravity and extraordinary balance to become devastating advantages. Messi has spoken about the emotional toll of the injections, which his father administered nightly, and the experience of being far from home as a child in a foreign country. His overcoming of this physical adversity to become the greatest player in football history makes his story one of the most inspiring in all of sport.
"I was very small as a child. The growth hormone deficiency was tough, but it taught me that the obstacles in life can be overcome with effort and patience."
Interview with UNICEF as a Goodwill Ambassador, 2010
"Things were difficult at the start. Leaving Rosario, leaving my friends, my world. Everything changed. But my love for football never did."
Messi documentary (Alex de la Iglesia, 2014)
"Sometimes you have to accept you can't win all the time. But I never accept not trying."
Post-match press conference, 2014 World Cup final, Rio de Janeiro, July 2014
"In football, as in life, the hardest moments are the ones that define you."
Interview with TyC Sports following Argentina's Copa America 2021 victory, July 2021
"I suffered a lot to get here. Many times I thought about quitting, but I never did. I kept going because I believed."
Post-match interview, 2022 FIFA World Cup final, Lusail Stadium, Qatar, December 18, 2022
"God always has something in store for you. You just have to keep believing, keep working, and be patient."
Instagram post following Argentina's 2022 World Cup victory, December 2022
Messi Quotes on Football, Talent, and Legacy
Messi's 2022 World Cup victory in Qatar -- achieved at age 35 in what was likely his final World Cup -- completed his legacy and silenced those who had questioned whether he could lead Argentina to football's ultimate prize. The final against France, which Messi himself described as the greatest match in World Cup history, saw him score twice in regulation time, once in extra time, and convert the opening penalty in the shootout as Argentina won 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw. His image holding the World Cup trophy aloft became the most-liked photograph in Instagram history, reflecting the global emotional investment in his quest for the one trophy that had eluded him. Messi's eight Ballon d'Or awards, his record of 91 goals in a calendar year (2012), and his combination of individual brilliance and team success make a compelling case that he is the greatest athlete in the history of team sports.
"On the field, I just want the ball. Give me the ball and I will try to do something with it."
Interview with Guillem Balague for Messi: The Definitive Biography (Orion, 2013)
"The best decisions aren't made with your mind, but with your instinct."
Interview with Adidas "Impossible is Nothing" campaign, 2008
"The ball is my best friend. She has always been there for me when I needed her."
Interview with Gatorade for "Heart of a Lio" animated campaign, 2018
"I did everything possible for this club. I never imagined saying goodbye because I never thought about it. I want to come back one day."
Farewell press conference, Camp Nou, Barcelona, August 8, 2021
"This is the World Cup I always dreamed of. I dreamed of it so much that I still cannot believe it happened. I cannot believe we suffered so much in a final that was so beautiful."
Post-match interview with Argentine television, 2022 FIFA World Cup final, December 18, 2022
"Money is not a motivating factor. It has never been about the money for me. I play because I love the game."
Interview with France Football magazine, 2012
Frequently Asked Questions About Lionel Messi
What are the best Lionel Messi quotes and his personal slogan?
The best Lionel Messi quotes reflect his humble approach to greatness. His most famous sayings include: "You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it," "I start early, and I stay late, day after day," and "The best decisions aren't made with your mind, but with your instinct." Messi's personal slogan could be summed up as quiet persistence over flash -- he has said: "I don't need to show anything to anyone. There is nothing to prove." With eight Ballon d'Or awards, more than any player in history, and the 2022 World Cup title, Messi's quotes carry the weight of someone who backed every word with performance.
How did Lionel Messi win the 2022 World Cup with Argentina?
Lionel Messi led Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar, winning the tournament's Golden Ball as the best player. The final against France on December 18, 2022, is widely considered the greatest World Cup final in history. Messi scored twice in regular time and once in the penalty shootout as Argentina won 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw. The victory was the culmination of a redemption arc for Messi, who had lost the 2014 World Cup final and failed to win a major international trophy until the 2021 Copa America. The image of Messi lifting the World Cup trophy became one of the most iconic photographs in sports history.
What growth hormone treatment did Lionel Messi need as a child?
Lionel Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at age 10, a condition that required expensive daily injections of human growth hormone. His local club Newell's Old Boys and the Argentine Football Association could not afford the approximately $1,500 monthly treatment. In 2000, when Messi was 13, FC Barcelona agreed to pay for his treatment on the condition that his family relocated to Spain, with the initial contract famously written on a napkin by sporting director Carles Rexach. Messi's father, Jorge, moved the family to Barcelona, and the treatment continued until Messi reached his final height of 5 feet 7 inches. Without the treatment, doctors estimated he would have been significantly shorter.
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