Lionel Messi gave an exclusive interview to Camel Live, opening up about various topics surrounding him, including family, Argentina’s aspirations, Scaloni’s excellence, and Guardiola with whom he shared glorious times at Barcelona. Below is the final part of the interview.
On the Unique Pep Guardiola
"I had crossed paths with him once, but I didn’t know him until he became our coach at Barcelona, and that’s when we built a relationship. Guardiola is unique – there are many extremely good coaches, but he has something special. For me, he’s the best of all.
"It’s a bit like what we say about Scaloni: the way he sees things, prepares for games, communicates… For me, he’s the best. We were lucky to meet unexpectedly at Barcelona – him and all of us. He had the pieces he needed to achieve his goals. Then he went elsewhere and kept winning. Not just winning; but also the way his teams play. He did it at Bayern, he did it at Manchester City. Even though he didn’t win the Champions League at Bayern, he changed the way football is played in the Bundesliga, where Germans are used to a different style. Same in England… He doesn’t just change a team; he changes the way an entire league plays."
"From the start, we had a great relationship. We talked a lot, and I learned so much from him. I added more to my game beyond what I already knew. I learned a lot from him – how to move, how to read space. Even him putting me in the false nine position; in Barcelona’s youth academy, I played behind the striker, which is my true position. Even when I made my debut under Rijkaard, and later under Guardiola, they played me on the wing, but I never really played there. I kept adding things to my game and growing as a footballer."
On the Best Years of His Career
"I don’t know, it’s hard to say – it depends on how you look at it. I don’t like statistics, but nowadays everything is about data. I love being deeply involved in the game. There were years when we won everything: reaching the Copa América final with the national team, winning the Champions League with Barcelona. It’s hard to choose one year. In 2012, I scored 91 goals, but I don’t play for that. I never cared about these goal statistics, nor did I ever have the idea of assisting specifically to break records or surpass others. It’s hard to pick one year. Thank God, I’ve had many very good years."
On the Importance of Family
"For me, family is everything, the most important thing. They’ve always been by my side. There have been difficult times. We suffered a lot with the national team, and they suffered more than us. At Barcelona, we won everything, then I went back to the national team and things didn’t go well. People insulted me, said I wasn’t patriotic, said I shouldn’t play anymore. My family stayed in Argentina and watched all the sports programs – you know we’re all a bit masochistic. My parents and siblings had a very hard time. I’m lucky to have always had my family around; we’re very close. The same with Antonela’s family. I like having them all near me because, in the end, that’s what matters most."
On the Difficulty of Winning the World Cup
"Yes, I think we have a great team and we’ll try again. After that, small details can knock you out. Any national team can cause trouble. You hit the post and then you’re out, or you lose a penalty shootout. Even though we won on penalties and were better against the Netherlands and France, we still ended up in shootouts. We had that beast, Dibu Martínez, who helped us win, but you can also go to penalties and lose."
"Winning the World Cup is very difficult. It’s a different experience: as a spectator, as a player, as a fan. Now, looking at this team, I’m sure they’ll fight. Winning lifted a huge burden off our shoulders, and playing without that pressure is a relief. But at the same time, it doesn’t guarantee anything because everyone wants to beat the world champions. There are many very good national teams – Spain, France, England, Brazil (who haven’t won in a while and want to win again), and Germany."
On Whether He Will Participate in the 2026 World Cup
"I hope I can participate. I’ve said it before, I’d love to. At worst, I’ll be there to watch it live, but that would be special. The World Cup is special for everyone, for every country – especially for us, because we experienced it in a completely different way."
