Lionel Messi does not speak in grand gestures. He doesn’t need to.
The words land hard because they carry the weight of two decades, eight Ballon d’Ors, four Champions League titles, a Copa América, and finally — his holy grail — the World Cup.
For Messi, the victory in Qatar in December, 2022 marked the completion of a long journey. “I can't ask for anything anymore. I was missing the World Cup. I've won it all, I've achieved everything,” he said in an interview with the YouTube channel Simplemente Fútbol.
The footballer knows what that sentence means. It’s the kind of declaration only a handful of players in history have earned the right to make.
While the World Cup filled a long-standing gap in his career, Messi also revisited club-level regrets. “At the time, I think we let a few more Champions Leagues slip away, we could have won more. The ones we won with Pep were really important, and the way we played was incredible,” he said about his time in Barcelona.
That version of Barcelona — peak Guardiola, peak Messi — changed football. But time moved on, and so did Messi, though not in the way he once imagined. “I had the intention of returning to Barcelona and being able to go back to a place I always wanted to be, but it was not possible again,” he said.
“After that, it became a family decision. The fact that we won the World Cup also had a big impact. I was clear that I didn’t want to be at another team in Europe, I didn’t want to go to any of them,” the former Barcelona player said.
Messi's name has often been at the centre of discussions around rivalries, both real and perceived. One such case is Argentina’s supposed rivalry with Mexico. “The truth is I don't know what happened with Mexico, when did this rivalry start. I always felt very loved by Mexico, I never disrespect anyone, I think they put themselves in a position of having a rivalry with us that doesn’t really exist. The comparison between Argentina and Mexico doesn't exist,” he said.
Messi’s religious faith remains central to how he views his success. “I always say I’m very grateful to God for everything he has blessed me with. God gave me everything.”
Messi has nothing left to prove. But he still wants to win. Still wants to fight.
“There is no doubt that I will continue to compete. This nature will never leave me, because this is part of me. This is how I was raised. I love winning and competing,” said the Argentine star.
Messi also revisited the final in Qatar. “We were superior but things would happen to us and we would say ‘how could we end up like this after the match we did’, even in the final.”
The World Cup win was not just a professional milestone for Messi, but a personal one. “For me it was very special to have won the World Cup with all my family, children, and my parents. As I always say, on a collective level, I have been lucky to win everything at club and team level with Barcelona, and to also achieve that with the National Team. This is something I think I will appreciate more with time. Winning the World Cup final was the most beautiful thing, I was lucky to have achieved everything. I can't ask for anything more, as I told my family, I already got everything and that's it, then it's like I say, when I play I want to compete and play to win. But I can say that I already have it,” he said.
As speculation continues about whether he will return for one more World Cup, Messi said, “This year will be important to see what I decide regarding the 2026 World Cup. I would lie if I told you I'm not thinking about that [Playing the World Cup].”
The footballer is giving himself the space to consider what comes next. “It's a long year that just started and there's the Club World Cup in June, but obviously I do think about the World Cup and being present there, but now it's about living day to day and how I feel physically and being honest with myself to know if I can be there or not,” Messi said.
On rising Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, Messi said, "Yamal is one of the best players in the world, he’s an amazing talent, no doubt. It’s really impressive what he’s showing on the pitch, what he’s doing and what he’s done. He’s already been a champion with Spain. He’s still only 17, he’s in a growth process, and he’ll continue to grow as a player and add things to his game, just like I did."