Lionel Messi has admitted that he deliberately tried to embarrass an opponent during a World Cup match.
- The Winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or is Revealed
- Luis Figo picks the best between Cristiano Ronaldo & Ronaldo Nazario after playing with both
At 37, Messi is widely regarded by many as the greatest football player of all time, thanks to his humble personality combined with extraordinary football talent, making him a favorite in the sport today. ..Continue Reading
The Argentine superstar has secured a record eight Ballon d’Or awards and has amassed 45 major trophies throughout his career, playing for clubs like Barcelona, PSG, Inter Miami, and his national team, Argentina.
Since joining David Beckham’s Inter Miami in 2023, Messi has dazzled fans in Major League Soccer (MLS), scoring 20 goals and providing 10 assists. His contributions helped the team win the Leagues Cup and the MLS Supporters’ Shield.
On an individual level, Messi became the club’s all-time top scorer after netting a hat trick in Miami’s 6-2 victory against the New England Revolution on October 19.
Although he seems happy during his time in Florida, Messi has occasionally shown a more competitive, aggressive side on the field.
This was the case in the 2022 World Cup. Messi’s Argentina faced Poland in Group C. You may be wondering, ‘What could possibly annoy Messi in such a fixture?’
The tension arose because Robert Lewandowski was on the opposing team.
After the Polish striker stole the ball from Messi, Lewandowski attempted to make peace with him, but Messi seemed uninterested, appearing to ignore the gesture.
Their rivalry can be traced back to the 2021 Ballon d’Or competition, where Messi claimed the award, though many believed Lewandowski’s remarkable achievement of scoring 41 Bundesliga goals in just 29 matches made him a more deserving candidate.
Despite this, Messi did acknowledge that Lewandowski should have won the 2020 Ballon d’Or, which was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I’d like to mention Robert [Lewandowski], it’s been a real honour to compete with him,” Messi said while collecting his award on stage in 2021.
But Lewandowski did not approve of Messi’s remarks, referring to the Argentine’s comments as “empty words”.
“Lewandowski’s statement in 2021 bothered me because when I won the Ballon d’Or, I said what I really felt,” Messi told ESPN in December 2022.
“I ignored him during the game because it was him, and I was angry and thought he shouldn’t have said what he said. I was very angry. Was I deliberately dribbling because it was him? Yes.”
“After that, we met and talked and agreed that it was a misunderstanding,” Messi added.
“He was upset because what he said didn’t match what was reported.
“Then he went to Barcelona, and we talked about many things about the club, the city and everything.”
It is believed that the duo have since reconciled their relationship.
