Lionel Messi answered questions which were asked by his Argentina team mates.
Messi was interviewed on TV Pública and part of the interview was players of the Argentina national team asking him questions. Julián Álvarez asked him how he tries to handle the fame he has worldwide:
“I have always handled myself very normally. I like to enjoy my family, my people, share things with my children. Pick them up from school, go to a park.
“I got used to it since I started my career. Sometimes I would like to go unnoticed. I took it as normal. Without thinking about anything, it’s much easier.”
Lisandro Martínez asked him what the Argentina national team means to him:
“For me, it’s the maximum. I proved it throughout my career. There were very bad times for me. I was at my best at Barcelona, winning the Champions League, La Liga and individual awards. And in the national team, I was living a completely different reality.
“My people were hurting. I always wanted to be there and I tried for what was finally given to me in the end. I never stopped having that dream.
“Thank God it ended up happening. The national team is something I enjoyed and enjoy, beyond the bitterness I had to go through. It is very special.”
Exequiel Palacios asked him when he would stop playing with the national team:
“Honestly, I don’t know until when. I think it will happen when it has to happen/ After having achieved everything recently, the only thing left to do is to enjoy. God will say when that moment will come.
“Logically, because of my age, I’m sure it will be soon. But I don’t know exactly when will be the right time. I think about the day to day, enjoying everything beautiful. We had to go through very hard times in the national team. We were fortunate enough to be World Cup and Copa America champions. It’s time to enjoy.”
Nicolás Tagliafico asked him what the formula is to be able to maintain the highest level:
“The same which got me to achieve everything I have achieved. The consistency, the strength, sacrifice, to always want more. Every since I was young, I have always been like that, very responsible and sure of what I wanted.
“I always gave my maximum to achieve the most. At times it happened and other times no. I always approached the beginning of each season with the mentality of continuing to improve myself. I was fortunate that injuries were very respectful of me.”
Nahuel Molina asked Lionel Messi if he saw him when he gave the assist to his goal against the Netherlands at the World Cup:
“I saw him. He was on the run and I understood that the most normal thing to do at that moment was to pass to the side. I thought it was the right time to try to get it to him. I thought the whole defense was waiting for something else but I didn’t hear him, I saw him.”
Ángel Di María asked him if he used the barbeque he had in his home in Paris:
“I’m not a someone that barbeques. I don’t like to make my own. I have made one or two when I was alone. I had no other choice. To tell you the truth, I like to accompany more than to make them.”
Marcos Acuña and Germán Pezzella asked him what he felt when Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty against France in the final of the World Cup:
“We got to that situation more relaxed, in quotiation marks, because we had an advantage and one more chance. But I was looking forward to it being done and over with. That we could celebrate. These moments that are very difficult to describe in words.
“The nerves of the penalty kicks, the joy of being World champion… Everything depends on God, on what He wants, He decides those moments, I always felt it that way. Everything that happens, happens for a reason. I always ask Him and thank Him for everything He has given me on a sporting and family level.”
Paulo Dybala asked him if he is human and if he really is aware of what he generates in the world:
“When you are always competing, when you always have goals ahead of you, you don’t value much what you really deserve, what you are achieving. I am at a moment in my career where I enjoy everything that happens to me and I value everything much more because I know that these are the last years.
“But I think that when I retire and I’m not playing anymore, I will value all of this much more. And even more so the fact of being a World champion, which will last a lifetime, especially in a country like ours, that is so fond of football, so grateful for it.”
