Lionel Messi expressed his deep regret about not learning English during his career.
Lionel Messi Admits He ‘Deeply Regrets’ Not Learning English During His Career. (Credits: Inter Miami CF X)
Argentinian Football legend Lionel Messi has opened up on regretting not learning English when he had the chance to. The veteran athlete has revealed that he now stresses his children about how necessary it is to have a full-fledged education and be as prepared in life as possible.
Speaking to a Mexican Podcast, the 38-year-old opined that he thinks of himself as an idiot about wasting time and not taking an effort to learn English, especially when having the chance to interact with some incredible personalities.
"I regret many things. To not have learned English as a boy. I had the time to have at least studied English and I didn't do it. I deeply regret it. I experienced situations where I was with incredible and spectacular personalities to be able to talk and have a chat and you feel half ignorant. I always thought: 'What an idiot, how I wasted my time. When you're young, you don't realise it. Today that's what I tell my children, [the importance of] having a good education, to study and be prepared. I always tell my children to take advantage of it. They have a different situation to the one I had although I never lacked anything."
Messi, who moved to Barcelona from his native city Rosario when he was 13, suggested that it was the best decision to come there as he was able to achieve plenty of things in Football. The eight-time Ballon'Dor winner elaborated:
"It [my last year of school in Argentina] was a disaster. I knew that I was leaving [for Barcelona]. At Barcelona, I finished my high school with the other children that went to [Barcelona's youth academy] La Masia. I was able to do everything and reach the top [in football], but along the way there are many experiences and lessons learned. It's true that football is a way of life. It teaches you a lot, it gives you a lot of values. It creates lifelong bonds. You get to know places."
Messi is currently playing for Inter Miami, having joined the club in 2023.
