Messi: I Have a Special Love for Barcelona, I Want to Be Remembered as an Athlete Who Always Fought

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi took a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reflecting on his unforgettable years at Barcelona. In Oviedo to receive the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Sports at a special ceremony attended by Spanish royalty, the forward highlighted not just the silverware, but the sheer joy in the Catalans' brand of football.

"What does Barcelona mean to me? There are so many wonderful memories that it's difficult to sum up the club's significance in just a few words... I hold a very special love for both the city and the club. At Barca, we were fortunate enough to win everything—not only because of what we achieved, but because of the way we did it and how much we enjoyed the matches, the victories, and the milestones we reached.

Above all, it was about relishing the day-to-day details, the training sessions, and the incredible moments we shared together," Messi said in an interview with news agency EFE.

Despite collecting every major club honour with Barcelona, Messi highlighted Argentina's 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar as the pinnacle of his career—an achievement that surpassed his wildest dreams. His goals in the final stand among the defining moments of his journey, alongside iconic strikes in Champions League finals and El Clasico showdowns.

The Rosario native also recalled the invaluable football lessons taught by his father Jorge, who passed away in August. The two would constantly dissect the game after every match and training session. His father's most crucial piece of advice was to never give up: regardless of whether a play came off or not, to always demand the ball and try again, because football always offers another chance.

Messi added that his dream had always been to play professionally, and the belief that he would make it truly set in when he was promoted to Barca B, with a first-team debut suddenly within touching distance.

Asked how he would like to be remembered, Messi replied: "As a great athlete who always fought to achieve his goals and dreams. Sometimes I succeeded in reaching what I set out for, and sometimes I didn't... but I never stopped trying to win everything put in front of me."

Messi also pointed out that many gifted individuals fail to fulfil their potential simply due to a lack of opportunity. That makes it an immense honour for him to join the illustrious list of Princess of Asturias Award laureates, featuring legends such as Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Carolina Marin, Eliud Kipchoge, Lindsey Vonn, the Gasol brothers, and Michael Schumacher.