Lionel Messi has achieved almost everything possible in football, winning the FIFA World Cup and numerous major trophies throughout his career. Yet the Argentine legend recently admitted that he sometimes regrets not focusing more on his education during childhood.
Football has been Messi’s passion since a very young age. As a child, he spent most of his time playing the game, a dedication that ultimately turned him into one of the greatest footballers in history. Now 38, the Inter Miami CF star has little to regret in his sporting career, but outside the football world he feels he missed opportunities—particularly in education.
Speaking on the Mexican podcast “Miro de Atras” with Argentine goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán, Messi said he sometimes feels regret for not studying seriously as a child, especially for not learning English properly.
Messi’s life story is well known. As a child he suffered from a hormone-related growth condition before joining FC Barcelona’s youth academy at an early age. From that point on, his career moved rapidly, leaving little time to look back. Success followed with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and the Argentina national football team.
Looking back now, Messi admitted that he had time to focus on education during his youth but did not take the opportunity. He said he often tells his children that he regrets not receiving a better education and not learning English when he was young.
Messi explained that language barriers sometimes make him feel uncomfortable when interacting with prominent people. In such situations, he occasionally feels “ignorant” and thinks about how much time he may have wasted.
Learning from his own experience, Messi now encourages his three children to make the most of the opportunities life offers. He said that while his father always tried to give him the best, today’s generation has even greater opportunities to grow and learn.
It remains uncertain whether Messi will play in the next FIFA World Cup, but he has indicated that he still has the desire to compete while carefully managing his fitness. The upcoming tournament will begin on June 11 and will be hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Reflecting on Argentina’s 2022 World Cup journey, Messi recalled the crucial match against Mexico after the team lost their opening game to Saudi Arabia. Argentina won that match 2–0, a victory that kept their campaign alive. Messi admitted the team played under intense pressure, as Mexico had always been a challenging opponent.
Messi also shared a broader message about life. He said that life should be enjoyed even when it becomes difficult, because everyone faces different challenges. For him, the greatest joy now comes from family, his children, and the small moments of everyday life.
Currently, Messi has started the new MLS season with Inter Miami, although the team’s opening result was disappointing, losing 3–0 to Los Angeles FC.
