Messi says 'disappointments' forged his fabulous growth

Lionel Messi credits the disappointments in his long career for shaping him into the legend the Argentine is today.

"I don't count titles; mostly the individual ones… We've also had some difficult moments. Not everything is pretty. The disappointments helped me to grow," he said after receiving an award from Marca for being the most decorated footballer in history on Thursday, reflecting on his storied career that boasts 46 collective titles -- the most in football history -- and 56 individual ones.

Messi's achievements were celebrated at the Chase Stadium -- the home of his current club Inter Miami -- where fans and fellow players gathered to honour his nearly unmatched career. Yet, even at 37, Messi insists his passion for football is as strong as ever. Recalling his early days kicking stones around Rosario, he spoke about the thrill of playing in his home country.

"I love what I do, I enjoy being on the pitch. I recently played in Argentina, with people chanting my name in a packed Monumental. That's the best, I fought hard and went through hard times in Argentina to live this moment and today I enjoy it more than ever," Messi shared.

Despite his overwhelming success, including the pinnacle achievement of winning the World Cup, Messi remains grounded. When asked if he remembered his very first trophy as a child, he admitted, "I saw pictures of my first trophy as a kid, but I don't remember it. Surely, like some of my children, I wasn't aware of everything that was to come. I enjoyed football from a very young age. It's my passion."

As for what's next, Messi believes he's already lived beyond his childhood dreams. "I was able to fulfill all my dreams and achieved many more things than I dreamed of as a kid. I was able to achieve the biggest dream of a player, which is a World Cup. I won many titles in the club of my life, which is Barcelona. I also won in Paris and now with Inter. I'm fighting to continue to achieve many more things".

When questioned about his potential participation in the 2026 World Cup, Messi was cautious as always. "Things pass by and I don't get ahead of myself. I try to enjoy myself day by day. When the time comes, we'll see, I don't like to accelerate. I hope I can continue to perform at this level to feel good and be happy. That's more important to me than whether I'm going to make it or not."