Lionel Messi names the 3 sports he enjoys playing beside football
Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi has named the top three sports that he enjoys playing besides football. Considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, the diminutive Argentine is currently plying his trade for MLS outfit Inter Miami.
Lionel Messi left European football in July 2023, joining Inter Miami from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. The Argentine superstar left as the highest scorer in the history of European football with 704 goals in 853 games - three more than Cristiano Ronaldo (701). He is also the all-time leading scorer for the Argentine national team, bagging 112 goals in 189 games for La Albiceleste.
However, the Argentine focused on his interests away from football in a recent interview with acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano. When asked about his favorite games besides the obvious, Messi said (via @AlbicelesteTalk on X):
"The other than football, I love padel, tennis and basketball, but I play padel the most." (translated from Spanish)
Earlier this year, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were spotted enjoying a game of padel in a video posted by @beINSPORTSUSA. The video not only highlighted Messi's dexterity beyond football but also gave a glimpse into his candid friendship with longtime strike partner Luis Suarez.
Talking about his exploits in the game of padel in a 2024 interview (via Marca), Messi said:
"I'm not great at padel tennis. I enjoy playing it, but I'm just average."
Coming back to football, Messi is currently aiming to win Inter Miami's first-ever MLS Cup after bagging the Supporters' Shield.
When Lionel Messi got a piece of advice from Luis Suarez after the latter left Barcelona
Luis Suarez gave Messi a piece of advice before moving from Barcelona to Atletico Madrid in 2020. The Uruguayan replied to an Instagram post by Lionel Messi, urging him to enjoy his football at the club.
Luis Suarez joined the Catalan side in 2014 from Liverpool for a reported fee of €81.72 million. During his six-year stay at Camp Nou, Suarez scored 195 goals and created 113 more in 283 games across competitions. Along the way, Suarez, Messi, and Neymar formed one of the most iconic attacking trios in Barcelona's history.
In 2020, Suarez was sold to Atletico Madrid for just €9 million, and his treatment left the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner enraged. As a farewell message for his friend, Lionel Messi shared a photo on Instagram, writing (via Marca):
"You deserved to depart like what you are: one of the most important players in the club's history, winning things as part of a group & individually. Not for them to kick you out as they have done. But the truth is nothing surprises me any more."
Under the post, the Uruguayan wrote a long piece of advice for Messi.
"Thank you, friend, for your words, but thank you for being the way you are, for what you were from the first day with me and my family. I will always be grateful to Messi the human - funny and sentimental - because everyone knows the player," commented Suarez. (quoted by Marca)
He continued:
"Do not forget what I told you: 'Continue enjoying yourself and demonstrating that you're number one, and don't let two, three or four tarnish the giant that you are for the club and for the world of football.' I love you very much, my friend, and we are going to miss you five (Messi his wife and their three children)."
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez played 258 games together for Barcelona, registering 99 joint goal participation.