“In truth it hasn’t happened to me that often” - When Lionel Messi named ‘toughest’ man-marker he faced in football
In a 2020 interview with DAZN, Argentine legend Lionel Messi said Mallorca right-back Pablo Maffeo is the toughest man-marker he has faced in football. Messi is among the greatest playmakers ever and opposition teams often try to mark him out of games.
Messi was still playing at Barcelona at the time and regularly faced Catalan club Girona during their La Liga fixtures. Maffeo played for Girona on loan for the 2019-20 season.
"Man-marking doesn't bother me - you know that there will be tough matches and it can be strange to always have someone around you. In truth it hasn't happened to me that often. It doesn't bother me, but it is strange. Pablo Maffeo of Girona was the toughest man-marker. That was intense!" Lionel Messi said (via FourFourTwo).
Further, Messi also shared his thoughts on violent tackles in La Liga and the role of physical contact in football. The Argentine felt that unless he is having a bad game, he is usually not angry about such tackles.
"I've never been one who complains. I think physical contact and kicks are part of the game. I get more annoyed when I play bad and I get a little more angry. But if I'm not [playing bad], it's not a problem, it's part of the game and I don't take it personally," he added.
Lionel Messi has been at the receiving end of quite a few rough tackles during his time playing for Barcelona and later on in his career.
When Lionel Messi talked about the individual record he cherishes the most
In the aforementioned interview, Lionel Messi was asked to name the personal accolade that he cherishes the most. La Pulga stated that being La Liga's all-time top goal-scorer is the individual record is a source of immense pride for him.
"I think the La Liga goal record is very important and very significant. There have been spectacular players in this league, the best in the world, and being the all-time top scorer in this league, given the level of the Spanish league, is special," Messi said.
Lionel Messi scored 474 goals in 520 appearances in La Liga while playing for Barcelona from 2004 to 2021. La Pulga also created history in the Spanish league by scoring the most goals in a single season, 50, in the 2011-12 campaign.
"I think it is one of the best records I have created. I have been playing in La Liga for many years. I don't know if other forwards have stuck it out as long as me, but this has helped me a lot to score many goals - and for me it is an honour to be in the history books in La Liga," Messi said.
Lionel Messi is also the only player to be named the highest scorer in the La Liga in eight seasons. He is followed at the second place by arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 311 goals in 292 appearances, all scored for Real Madrid.