The Argentinian star speaks openly about football, life and the future to the captains of the five different age levels in the FC Barcelona academy
Messi in Barça Magazine
You can enjoy the interview in the video above, and it also features in a special report in this month’s edition of BARÇA MAGAZINE. The club’s official publication is currently only printed in Catalan and Spanish but the great news is that it will shortly be available in English too!
[[DES_1]]Leo Messi is probably the best player of all time, but he’s also an all-round nice guy off the pitch too. The Argentinian superstar wanted to share his fifth Ballon d’Or trophy with the youngsters in the Barça academy, because he knows that the famous Masia played a huge role in his development into the player he is today.
He met with Juanma García, Arnau Comas, Àlex Rico, Pablo López and Pau Prim, the captains of the five youth first teams, from U10 through to U19, and happily answered all of their questions about his professional and personal life, as well as giving them tips for how they could go on to emulate his success one day.
Messi himself experienced everything that these youth players are going through right now. “You are very lucky to be in a club like this” he told them. “This is a rare opportunity not only in football, but in life. Barça gives you the chance to study, to grow and to get an education. I think it’s important for you took make the most of all this and then to enjoy your football and be as professional about it as you can.”[[CITA_1]]
Messi looked back at the days when he too was learning the game at the Masia. “It was hard for me because it was such a big change” he explains. “I left a lot behind in Argentina and unlike other children living at the Masia, I hardly ever got to visit my family. I only saw them once or twice a year and that was very hard for me.”
He was also asked what he does to remain motivated after winning absolutely everything with FC Barcelona. “This club always aims to win and I want to end my career having won as many titles as possible” he says.
As for the claim that he is the greatest player of all time, he adds that “just to hear people saying and thinking that makes me very proud indeed. But I try not to think about it too much and just focus on enjoying everything that I have in this life.”
