Lionel Messi: Top 10 quotes

Here, we will take a look at the ten famous Lionel Messi quotes. Messi needs no introduction. The Barcelona forward is an inspiration to every young sports fan around the world and will go down as one of the greatest players to have ever played the game. Besides scoring goals on the field Messi has a lot of wise sayings to his credit. Listed here are ten truly great Lionel Messi quotes.

#1 Lionel Messi- On teamwork

"I prefer to win titles with the team ahead of individual awards or scoring more goals than anyone else. I'm more worried about being a good person than being the best football player in the world. When all this is over, what are you left with? When I retire, I hope I am remembered for being a decent guy. I like to score goals but I also like to have friends among the people I have played with.” – Messi beautifully captured the spirit of team work with this quote. The football wizard realizes that an individual doesn’t win a game but a team does. Messi holds his team mates in the highest regard and prefers to be a humble human being rather than a superstar. He still owns his childhood home back in his native Argentina and hangs out with his old friends back there in his free time. Messi will certainly be remembered as a simple down to earth guy long after his retirement.

#2 Lionel Messi- On money

"Money is not a motivating factor. Money doesn't thrill me or make me play better because there are benefits to being wealthy. I'm just happy with a ball at my feet. My motivation comes from playing the game I love. If I wasn't paid to be a professional footballer I would willingly play for nothing. – A lot of footballers especially young ones are swayed by money. But not Lionel Messi. The forward loves the game of football and is the happiest person when he is playing on the field.

#3 Lionel Messi- On his country

"I've never stopped being Argentine, and I've never wanted to. I feel very proud of being Argentine, even though I left there. I've been clear about this since I was very young, and I never wanted to change. Barcelona is my home because both the club and the people here have given me everything, but I won't stop being Argentine." – Messi plays for one of the biggest, most successful clubs in the world but hasn’t forgotten his roots. Quite a few world class players have chosen to represent another country but Messi is proud to play for the country of his birth. The player recently revealed that Spain had tried to persuade him to play for them but Messi would not turn his back on his beloved Argentina. Diego Costa are you listening?

#4 Lionel Messi- On winning

“Sometimes you have to accept you can't win all the time.” – You win some, you lose some that age old saying is quoted by many but followed by a select few. Messi understands that in football there are times when you lose too but that doesn’t mean you stop trying to win again. The forward can hold his head up high even when his team suffered a loss as the number of matches and trophies he and his team mates have won outnumber all their losses by a landslide.

#5 Lionel Messi- On perseverance

“I have many years to get better and better, and that has to be my ambition. The day you think there is no improvements to be made is a sad one for any player.” – Messi is one of the best players in the world and has nothing left to prove but still takes pains to get better everyday. The forward also notes that a player shouldn’t be satisfied with his current skills and should always try and learn something new. The best piece of advice he can give to youngsters is to work on every aspect of their game and not just specialize in one thing.

#6 Lionel Messi- On retirement

“I have fun like a child in the street. When the day comes when I'm not enjoying it, I will leave football.” – Messi loves his job because he has fun doing it. As said before he doesn’t play for money but for the love of the game. Lio has an unbreakable bond with football so the day when he stops enjoying the game will never come.

#7 Lionel Messi- On life

“There are more important things in life than winning or losing a game.” – Its true there is a lot more to look forward to in life than winning or losing and Messi recognizes that. Wins give you confidence and the losses help make you a better player.

#8 Lionel Messi- On football as an art

"In football as in watch making talent and elegance mean nothing without rigour and precision." – Messi couldn’t have said it better. A footballer should use his talent wisely and play with grace and accuracy. A player should be like a Swiss watch – perfect right up to the crown.

#9 Lionel Messi- On FC Barcelona

"Barcelona is my life. They have brought me to where I am today. I could not leave, I don't want to leave. I know the Premier League is very good. But I cannot see myself playing in England because my heart is with Barcelona, always." – In today’s world players are easily swayed by money and change clubs like they were clothes but not Lionel Messi who displays remarkable loyalty to Barcelona. Many clubs are willing to match Messi’s buyout clause but the player himself stated that he would never quit Barca for another European club. Barca paid for Messi’s operations and helped him become the player he is today and that will be remembered by him forever.

#10 Lionel Messi- On realizing dreams

“You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it”. – Messi may be one of the richest footballers in the world right now but he never had it easy while growing up. The player battled with health problems during his childhood but that didn’t stop him from realizing his dream of becoming a professional footballer.