Lionel Messi and Zinedine Zidane set down for a chat on Adidas Football’s YouTube channel that grabbed headlines for all the right reasons. The duo talked about topics that are close to their hearts, including family, soccer, scoring in the World Cup final, and the iconic number 10. The dialogue between the two gave a chance to Zidane to shower some praise on the Argentine.
In the video, Zidane was asked to describe Lionel Messi in a few words. The French legend quickly jumped to state: “No, it’s only one word: Magic. I mean, Leo and I are not together every day so today is a very important day for me because I can tell him how much I admire him.”
Zidane on Messi:
“What words do I have to describe Messi? Only one: magic.
Today is an important day for me to tell him the admiration I have for him. I feel a connection with him, when I see him play I almost know what he is going to do, and when he does it he still surprises… pic.twitter.com/sJEBWrRxoM
— MC (@CrewsMat10) November 9, 2023
Zidane elaborated on Messi’s magic by explaining that Messi already knew what needed to be done even before receiving the ball. The French legend added that Messi’s magic is even more evident for him as he understands the sport. He added: “Watching you on the field, I almost knew what you were going to do, you know? It was like a connection.”
Zidane and Messi are both enjoying the downtime from the sport. The French manager is still on his hiatus from management after his last stint with Real Madrid. He has been linked with the Spanish club to replace Carlo Ancelotti. Whereas, Messi’s season with Inter Miami ended early as the Miami side failed to reach the playoffs for the MLS Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo on Lionel Messi and his relationship with him
Zidane isn’t the only one who has used the word, magic, to describe Lionel Messi. Cristiano Ronaldo showered similar praises on Messi when Piers Morgan asked the Portuguese about the Argentine back in 2022.
Explaining his relationship with Messi, Ronaldo stated: “Amazing player, he is magic, top. As a person, we share the stage 16 years, imagine, 16 years, we share. So, I have great relationship with him. I’m not friend of him in terms of, what I mean is a friend is the guy who is with you in your house, speaking on the phone, no, but it’s like a team-mate.”
Lionel Messi is having a magic 2023 🐐 pic.twitter.com/3w686Tu8w1
— GOAL (@goal) October 18, 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been compared head to head for every single statistic during both of their illustrious careers. The rivalry can be regarded as one of the greatest in all sports. Both superstars have showered praise on each other on several occasions, showing evidence of a healthy rivalry.
Circling back to Messi, who is moving toward the end of his career, still shows signs of magic whenever he steps on the field with Inter Miami or the Argentine national team. The Argentine is expected to be in action for the national team later this month for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
