Football legend Lionel Messi has revealed his four favorite sports and admits he is learning about the NFL since moving to the United States.
Lionel Messi’s transfer to Inter Miami in 2023 sparked an extraordinary surge in viewership for MLS games in the United States. Messi’s star power elevated the profile of European football and attracted a wider audience in the USA.
In an interview with Big Time Podcast, Messi revealed his other sporting passions and admits he is learning about American football.
He said: “Tennis, padel, basketball, and American football. I’m learning a lot about American football, getting to know it better, and loving it.”
The 37-year-old Messi lifted the World Cup with Argentina in 2022 and won his eighth Ballon d’Or award in 2023. Messi, the most decorated footballer of all time, also said he will hang up his boots when the time is right.
Messi said: “I know that the moment I feel that I am no longer able to perform, that I no longer enjoy or help my team-mates, I will quit.
“I’m very self-critical. I know when I’m good, when I’m bad, when I’m playing well, and when I’m playing badly.
“When I feel it’s time to take that step, I’ll take it without thinking about age. If I feel good, I’ll always try to keep competing because it’s what I like and what I know how to do.”
Messi added: “I haven’t yet thought of what I’m going to do when I retire. Today, I try to enjoy the day-to-day, the moments, without thinking about life after [football].”
