Lionel Messi is approaching another World Cup final with far less pressure than before, believing he fulfilled his greatest footballing dream by lifting the trophy in Qatar in 2022. Ever since breaking into international football, Messi had spoken about his desire to win the World Cup, a goal he achieved after years of heartbreak, including Argentina‘s defeat to Germany in the 2014 final. Having conquered the sport’s biggest prize, the 39-year-old now heads into Sunday’s final against Spain with little left to prove. Messi has won every major trophy available at club and international level and remains the most decorated footballer in history, with an unmatched collection of team titles and individual honours that have cemented his place among the greatest players the game has ever seen.
Ahead of the final, a reporter compared Messi’s career to a seamless video game during a conversation with him.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner responded in his usual understated style, joking that he had already “completed the game” by winning the World Cup four years ago.
“I already completed the game at the last World Cup. The game is already over,” Messi jokingly claimed on the sidelines of a World Cup final pre-match event on Friday.
“We never think about the pressure”: Lionel Messi
Messi looked back on his childhood, recalling how his passion for football was shaped by countless hours spent playing on the streets, at school and for his neighbourhood team.
“We grew up playing football with a lot of passion, always eager to play, have fun and enjoy ourselves, wherever we were. Whether it was at school, on the street or on a team, since we all started in a neighborhood team when we were little ,” Messi was quoted as saying by TyC Sports.
Messi also downplayed the enormity of the World Cup final, saying he has always approached football with the same mindset of enjoying the game rather than being consumed by pressure.
“I think we never think about the pressure, we take it as something natural, to play and have a good time. We are a competitive group, we like to win but it is a team sport, the opponent plays and you can’t always win . As a kid, I learned that you lose more than you win, and that made me grow as a person and as a player ,” said Messi, downplaying the magnitude of the summit clash.
