Lionel Messi: “I don’t care if I’m the best in the world”

Paris Saint-Germain player Lionel Messi said he is not worried about whether he is considered “the best in the world” after receiving the seventh ‘Ballon d’Or’ of his career this week, as well as rejecting any comparison with the late Diego Armando Maradona. I don’t care if I’m the best in the world or not. Being considered among the greatest in history is already more than enough,” Messi told France Football. “I never said I’m the best in history nor do I try to get that idea,” added the Argentine, who “would never have imagined” winning seven Ballon d’Or.In this sense, Messi said something usual in his way of being. “It’s something that doesn’t interest me, it doesn’t change anything to be considered the best or not. And I never sought to be,” added the new PSG player, who never forgets his origins before succeeding in the world of football. “I come from a working-class family, I grew up with these values.” Asked about the eternal comparison with Maradona, the former FC Barcelona was resounding. “No. Honestly I have never compared myself to Diego, absolutely never. I never paid attention to those comparisons,” said Messi, who acknowledged that “some criticism” “bothered” him in times past. “I had a hard time in the national team, really, but not for these reasons.” I often get things that make me angry about criticism, but they stay in the locker room. They must stay there, privately. It is the intimacy that makes the strength of the group, in addition to the fact that we can get angry and tell each other to our faces the things that can improve. This can happen to me or other players,” added the ’10’. Precisely Messi, who wears the number 30 at PSG, explained the reasons for having changed the number. “Neymar offered it to me. It was an extraordinary gesture for wanting to give me that number even though it was his and it seemed fair to keep it. I stayed with the 30, which I also like,” he concluded.

Original source in Spanish