{"id":37935,"date":"2024-07-05T09:47:08","date_gmt":"2024-07-05T13:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=37935"},"modified":"2024-07-05T09:47:08","modified_gmt":"2024-07-05T13:47:08","slug":"lionel-messi-credits-god-for-his-thriving-career-god-chose-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2024\/07\/lionel-messi-credits-god-for-his-thriving-career-god-chose-me.html","title":{"rendered":"Lionel Messi Credits God For His Thriving Career: ‘God Chose Me’"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"lionel<\/a>
Ringo Chiu\/Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Football star and 2022 World Cup winner Lionel Messi recently attributed his talent to God, saying, \u201cIt\u2019s very clear to me that I was born like this because God chose me.\u201d He told Argentina podcaster Juan Pablo Varsky, \u201cIt was the gift he gave me. I tried to take advantage of it; I did everything possible to squeeze the most out of it. The truth is, although I did many things, I did nothing to become the player that I already was when I was little.\u201d<\/p>\n

As reported by\u00a0Premier Christian News<\/a>, Messi has previously mentioned God in his interviews. After winning last year’s World Cup, he spoke about praying for the victory as part of a full circle moment with Argentina’s national team. He said, “I asked God, as I have done all my life in everything. Even more so at that moment, I didn’t ask my grandmother or Diego [Maradona], but I did ask God, as always.” Messi continued, “I knew and sensed that God had something in store for me, and it was at a special moment, almost at the end of my career and closing the whole circle of my professional career.\u201d<\/p>\n

He explained, “I thank Him every day of my life for this and for everything He has always given me. I can’t ask Him for anything more because, thanks to Him, I have everything.\u201d Messi, who recently turned 37, is competing with Argentina at the Copa Am\u00e9rica in the United States. As reported by\u00a0ESPN<\/a>, he acknowledged that he was unaware of his skill level when he was younger. He started playing at his home club, Newell’s Old Boys, and joined Barcelona’s youth team when he was 13. “From what was being said, I was always different,” the 2022 World Cup winner said. “People came to watch me. I didn’t realize it, but I began to understand that as I grew older. I don’t really know the moment when I realized it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n