Lionel Messi is living a rare contradiction in professional sports in the United States today. He’s the most recognizable athlete on the planet, playing in a country where soccer doesn’t set the pace of everyday life. And instead of creating friction, that mix seems to work precisely because Messi never wanted to take up space off the field.
Throughout the interview he gave to Luzu TV, Messi explained that he’s always felt uncomfortable with exposure that isn’t directly tied to the game. “I don’t like exposing myself or being in the media unless it’s for what I do on the field, which is what I know how to do.”
Routine as a rule and comments about dribbling
Messi said he’s extremely organized, especially when it comes to everything involving training and matches. “I’ve always been organized. With my training clothes, my soccer stuff. I don’t like people touching my things, I need to know where everything is.” He also said that unexpected changes to what he had planned can affect his day.
That same pattern shows up when he talks about his playing style. Messi has never worried about matching the aesthetic expectations built around South American talent. “A lot of people say I don’t do stepovers, that kind of stuff. I never liked it.” Over the course of his career, he’s decided games without excess, for regular people, of course, even with a “simple” move he was able to make a difference, and he did, and still does.
In the United States, that profile fits a different setting. Messi said he’s able to live more calmly because soccer isn’t at the center of people’s attention. In Barcelona, where he lived his entire life, the exposure was already normal. In Miami, the routine stays pretty much the same: train, go home, repeat schedules. The environment changes, the habit doesn’t.
National team, frustration and closing a chapter
In the interview, Messi also revisited the toughest period of his relationship with the Argentina national team. After losing major finals, he announced in 2016 that he would no longer play for the country. It was a decision made at an emotional breaking point and reversed shortly after. His first title only came in 2021, with the Copa América.
After that came the Finalissima, the World Cup in Qatar, and the continental title once again. “When it seemed like it was already impossible, the trophies with the Argentina national team came,” he said.
Today, talking about the future, Messi rules out the idea of becoming a coach. He said he prefers to think about being a club owner, taking part in building something, giving young players opportunities. “I’d like to have my own club, to build a club from scratch.”
At 38, Lionel Messi isn’t trying to redefine who he is. He simply sticks to the same logic that has always guided his career. Little exposure, a strict routine, and soccer as the only argument. Even in the country of spectacle, he stays off the stage when the ball stops.