Lionel Messi is a man of many talents.
First—and most obviously—is his aptitude for soccer. Widely regarded as the greatest player ever to grace the beautiful game, Messi has dazzled fans across the globe for over two decades with his twinkling toes and sublime left foot, winning everything there is to win, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Second, he’s a savvy businessman. Off the pitch, Messi owns his own hotel brand, MiM Hotels, a range of wine labels, and even a tech investment firm, Play Time Sports-Tech HoldCo—all of which have helped elevate him to billionaire status.
Lastly—and perhaps most surprisingly, given he’s notoriously shy in interviews—Messi has also proven himself capable of turning a phrase. On occasion, the Argentina legend has offered up some truly inspiring words of wisdom, drawn from his own unmatched journey.
Here are 20 of the best quotes from soccer’s undisputed GOAT.
Inspirational Messi Quotes About Soccer
1. "Everything I did, I did for football, to achieve my dream."
2. "I never think about the play or visualize anything. I do what comes to me at that moment. Instinct. It has always been that way."
3. "I have fun like a child in the street. When the day comes when I'm not enjoying it, I will leave football."Lionel Messi.
4. "In football as in watchmaking, talent and elegance mean nothing without rigour and precision."
5. "Whether it's a friendly match, or for points, or a final, or any game––I play the same. I'm always trying to be my best, first for my team, for myself, for the fans, and to try and win."
Messi Quotes About Hard Work and Dedication
6. “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."
7. "You have to keep working hard and playing well because people will start to forget what you have done before if you don’t."
8. "The day you think there is no improvement to be made, is a sad one."Lionel Messi.
9. "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. But that trait is not something I've worked on, it's part of me."
10. “You can overcome something, if and only if you love something enough.”
Humble Quotes That Define Lionel Messi
12. "I never set out to be the best player in history. I think I'm just another footballer. On the pitch we are all the same and when the game starts I always try to improve myself. My intention is that when I retire, I will be remembered for being a good person."
"If I wasn't paid to be a professional footballer I would willingly play for nothing."Lionel Messi.
14. "When the year starts the objective is to win it all with the team, personal records are secondary."
15. "For my part, I try to do my bit to make people's lives more bearable, in particular children across the globe who are having problems."
Messi Quotes About Family and Happiness
16. "Today I am the happiest man in the world, my son was born and thanks to God for this gift."
17. “My family was always present when I needed them and sometimes felt even stronger emotions than me.”
18. "Argentina is my country, my family, my way of expressing myself."Lionel Messi,
19. "Being a dad changes everything for the better and I’m really enjoying it."
20. "There are more important things in life than winning or losing a game."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lionel Messi Quotes: Inspiring Words from the GOAT of Soccer.