Reading this brought back so many memories for me. 🥺 I’ve also been a fan of Lionel Messi for a very long time, since the 2008 Olympics, when Argentina played against Nigeria in the finals. I remember watching him play alongside legends like Obi Mikel and Taye Taiwo from our Nigerian U-23 team. Even though Nigeria came second and Argentina won gold, I couldn’t take my eyes off Messi, his calmness, his control, and that spark in his game stood out so much.

Back then, my elder brother was a die-hard Barcelona fan, and naturally, I began following Messi too. But over time, it wasn’t just about the team, it was about him. The way he plays with heart, his loyalty to Barça for years, and most especially his quiet family-centered life despite all the fame... it just made me admire him deeply.

I really love how you captured both his humility and his greatness in this post. Those achievements you listed are not just numbers, they’re proof of a man who gave everything to his craft with grace and discipline.

If I ever met him, I don’t even know if I’d have words 😅 but I’d definitely just want to thank him for being a quiet giant in the football world, no noise, no pride, just brilliance and class.

Thanks for this post, it reminded me why I became a fan in the first place.💙⚽