No one can doubt that Lionel Messi belongs in the debate regarding the greatest footballers of all time. The Argentina captain has produced some of the most magical, ingenious moments on a football pitch any of us have ever witnessed, and he is still doing it to this day.
Since his move to Inter Miami, it’s hard to claim Messi to be the best of the best in terms of current players. But, his legacy as one of the best footballers of the 2010s will forever be intact. His incredible return of personal accolades and club honours make for a formidable trophy cabinet — the eight Ballon d’Or wins alone are simply ludicrous, and not even Cristiano Ronaldo can match that.
So, as one of the greatest athletes of all time, Messi is unlikely to feel starstruck very often. Certainly, there can be no one in the footballing world that would leave Messi in awe, and anyone worth meeting in those circles will have already crossed paths with the little magician. After leading Argentina to the Copa America title in 2021, and finally lifting the World Cup in 2022, there is actually very little else for Messi to achieve in his career. But what about personal goals? Well, the footballing legend does have one outstanding task on his bucket list.
Ahead of the Copa America tournament, which kick started on June 21st, Messi was speaking to ESPN Argentina and was asked if there are any sports stars left out there that he would like to meet. For Messi, there is just one name.
“From the sports world, I would like to have a photo with [Michael] Jordan – meet him and have a photo with him.”
The fact Messi and Michael Jordan haven’t crossed paths yet, particularly since the former moved to the MLS, is quite surprising, and will surely be remedied at some point in the future. Huge stars turned out for Messi’s Inter Miami debut back in July 2023, as the football legend scored a last-minute winner from a free-kick. Sporting icons like Serena Williams and LeBron James turned out for that game, while Novak Djokovic and NFL stars like Puka Nacua and Keisean Nixon have been spotted at matches in 2024.
Outside of sport, A-list actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Holland, Will Ferrell, and Owen Wilson have all shown up, too. The latter even compared Messi to Jordan, saying (via Apple TV) “I saw Michael Jordan one time and [watching Messi] is like the same thing.”
Jordan and Messi’s Legendary Numbers
Comparing the careers of two legends
The reasons why Messi would regard Jordan as the last remaining union he wants to achieve may be clear, but just in case they’re not, here’s a look at the basketball icon’s honours. Jordan won six NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls during his career, and went unbeaten in two three-season spells between 1991 and 1993, and then again between 1996 and 1998. That’s right, he never lost in the NBA finals, but to top it off, he also won the MVP award in every one he competed in.
Indeed, the way Messi has dominated the Ballon d’Or award for most of his career, Jordan did very much the same in the NBA world and the big awards there. He also claimed 10 All-NBA First team honours and nine All-Defensive First team honours.
If that wasn’t enough, Jordan also won Olympic gold medals for Team USA in the 1984 and 1992 Olympic games.
Messi is clearly a fan of NBA, and was suitably humbled by the fact LeBron James came to watch him play. When asked about this by ESPN (via BeIN Sports), he said:
“Everything I’ve experienced with such personalities and seeing packed stadiums wanting to watch our team. I’m grateful for how I’ve been treated since I arrived in the United States.”
Hopefully, one day, he will achieve his final dream of meeting Michael Jordan and getting that treasured photograph to complete his fairytale in America.