Football legend Lionel Messi has opened up about the one thing he truly regrets in life. It’s not a missed match or a lost trophy, but the fact that he never learned to speak English when he had the chance.
Argentina captain and football legend Lionel Messi is making headlines at the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026. Under his leadership, the defending champions have reached a second consecutive World Cup semifinal, where they will face England at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 15.
The 39-year-old, who is likely playing his last World Cup, is not only leading La Albiceleste with his legendary playmaking but also netting vital goals that have cemented his place as the tournament’s top scorer, with 8 goals in six appearances.
After having led Argentina to their third World Cup title in Qatar 2022, Lionel Messi will now look to make history again, aiming to guide his side to consecutive finals and inch closer to an unprecedented second straight crown in what is a remarkable achievement in his illustrious international career.
Also Read: Argentina vs England: Iconic Rivalry Reignites in World Cup Semi-Final
Messi Regrets Not Learning English in Childhood
As Lionel Messi is leading Argentina to their second consecutive FIFA World Cup triumph, an old video of the football legend has resurfaced on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), wherein he admitted his regret at not learning English when he was younger.
Speaking in an interview, the 39-year-old encouraged his children to prioritise their education and stay prepared, adding that his ignorance of the English language left him feeling like an ‘ignoramus’ when encountering incredible personalities on the global stage.
“I regret a lot of things, and today I say it to my children. To have a good education, to study, to be prepared. Not having learned English as a child. I’ve had time to study even English, and I didn’t. And I regret it a lot, because then I saw situations where I had incredible personalities to talk to. I had a talk, and I felt like an ignoramus,” Messi said.
“I said, of course, I wasted my time. But it’s true that football is a way of life. It teaches you a lot, it gives you a lot of value. It forms a strong bond with people who will carry it for the rest of their lives,” he added.
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Lionel Messi spent the vast majority of his professional career in Spain, playing for FC Barcelona for 17 seasons. He rose through the ranks of the club’s famed youth academy, La Masia, at age 13, before making his first-team debut in 2004. Having spent his life and career in non-English countries like Spain and France, alongside his home nation Argentina, the legendary footballer didn’t prioritize learning English during his formative years.
Now, Messi is playing for Inter-Miami FC, the American football club participating in Major League Soccer, where he has finally confronted the language barrier in a professional setting.
How Did Lionel Messi Perform in the World Cup 2026?
Lionel Messi has been in exceptional form in what is likely to be his final FIFA World Cup appearance. In Argentina’s opening group match against Algeria, the 39-year-old netted a hat-trick of goals to power the defending champions to a dominant 3-0 victory in Kansas City.
In the following match against Australia, Messi netted a brace, which took him past former Germany captain Miroslav Klose on the all-time list of most goals scored in FIFA World Cup history, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players to have graced the tournament.
In the final group fixture against Jordan, Lionel Messi scored a goal in a 3-0 win, before Argentina’s round of 32 clash against Cape Verde, where he netted the opening goal in a thrilling 3-2 win and became the first player to score 20 goals in the history of the FIFA World Cup. In the pre-quarterfinal against Egypt, Messi netted an equaliser to take his total tally to 21 goals.
In the quarterfinal, the Argentine star didn’t score a single goal in a 3-1 win over Switzerland, ending his nine-match scoring streak in the tournament. Now, Lionel Messi will look to play a pivotal role once again when Argentina takes on England in the high-stakes semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 14.
Also Read: Argentina vs England: ‘We’ll Fight Till the End,’ Says Coach Scaloni Ahead of Big FIFA World Cup Clash