Lionel Messi, the former star of FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, revealed that his coach at the time, Pep Guardiola, allowed him to participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympics after noticing his displeasure during training.
In an interview with Clank Media published on June 23, 2024, Messi said:
“When Pep arrived, we had just started training and there was a lot of discussion about whether I would go to the Olympics or stay. We had to qualify for the Champions League no matter what. I looked unhappy during training because I wanted to go to the Olympics, and he noticed.
He’s very smart, nothing escapes him. He quickly understood me, I am transparent.
He said to me, ‘Don’t worry, we will qualify for the Champions League. Go, win the Olympics and come back; it’s going to be a long year and we’ll enjoy it.’” Messi eventually got his way and was able to participate in the Olympics with Argentina. He contributed to Albiceleste’s gold medal by assisting Di Maria for the winning goal in the final against Nigeria.
This anecdote highlights the strong relationship between Messi and Guardiola. The Spanish coach always had confidence in his young player and supported him in his ambitions.
Messi went on to have an extraordinary career, winning numerous titles and trophies with FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
He also won the Copa America and the FIFA World Cup in 2022 with Argentina.
Leave a Reply