Sport
“Never Settle for Second Place” – Messi Tells Barcelona Players
Former Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has sent a strong message to the current Barcelona squad, urging them never to settle for second place in the ongoing La Liga title race.
Messi, who spent over two decades at the club, emphasized the importance of fighting for the top spot, particularly for a club of Barcelona’s stature.
Last season, Barcelona finished second in La Liga, losing out on the title to their fierce rivals, Real Madrid.
Despite their strong performance, they were unable to clinch the championship, and this left a sense of disappointment among the fans and players alike.
This season, however, Barcelona is sitting at the top of the La Liga standings, holding a four-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid.
Yet, Real Madrid still has a game in hand, meaning the race for the title remains close and intense.
In an interview with Mundodeportivo, Messi, who is now playing for Inter Miami, spoke about what it means to represent Barcelona.
He made it clear that the club’s players must always aim for the top, no matter the circumstances.
“You can never accept to be second if you’re wearing a Barça shirt,” Messi stated.
“This means you’re part of the biggest club in the world.”
Messi went on to stress that, even if the team doesn’t win, they must remain committed to competing until the very last match of the season.
“Even if you don’t win, at least you must compete for the title till the very end,” he said.
Footballer Lamine Yamal speaks on the Ballon d’Or award and shares how he will still be happy if his teammate, Pau Cubarsí, gets the award.
“Last year, for me, Cubarsí was the best young player in the world. Either the Kopa award or the Ballon d’Or should go to him. There’s no difference between us.
“When I won it, I told him that he would be next. If he doesn’t win it for whatever reason, I will give it to him.”
Popular footballer Cristiano Ronaldo speaks on retirement and shares how he actually thought of retiring from international football after the 2026 World Cup.
“I thought about retiring from international football after the World Cup, but I spoke to the president, coach, and I am still here. I am an asset, I can help.”
He adds, “The young kids love me because they see me as an example, and that, for me, is the most important thing. I will continue to do that even when I retire after 10 years.”
Footballer Kylian Mbappé shares that he actually came close to signing with Liverpool.
“I was close to Liverpool. My mum was a big fan of Jurgen Klopp, and the favourite destination for my mum was Liverpool. She wanted me to go there,” Mbappé told The Athletic.
“I didn’t listen because I wanted to play in my city, Paris. I didn’t want to leave my country before I was someone. But yes, my mum was always saying, ‘Liverpool — you’re going to be there, playing at Anfield, it’s going to be insane for you.’ I was like, ‘OK!’
“All the time we were talking. ‘What do you think, Mum?’ She’d say, ‘For me, you have to go to Liverpool.’ I said, ‘OK, OK, OK!’ because Jurgen Klopp was an amazing manager. I met him and had a wonderful relationship with him. I had big respect for him.”
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