Argentina captain and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has stated that personal records and statistics do not drive his performances, insisting that his focus has always been on enjoying the game and contributing naturally on the pitch.
In a recent interview, Messi spoke about the growing obsession with numbers and statistics in modern football. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner dismissed the idea that he plays with milestones in mind.
“I don’t think I need to make a key pass, to score a goal to reach the record, to surpass this, to surpass that player,” Messi said.
The 38-year-old forward, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history, explained that he prefers to stay immersed in the flow of the match rather than chase statistical benchmarks.
“Today, people focus too much on statistics and records, and personally, I don’t like statistics very much. I live the game and enjoy it, and I love being decisive and participating a lot in the flow of the match,” he added.
Messi further revealed that many of his historic achievements came naturally, without deliberate targets or personal pressure.
“But I don’t play for that, and I never gave it any importance. Things happened as a natural result, not because I was thinking in my head that I had to make a pass or score a goal to achieve a record or surpass someone. Things simply happened because they happened.”
News.ng reports that since joining Inter Miami in 2023, Messi has continued to deliver decisive performances, leading the club to major silverware and boosting the profile of Major League Soccer globally.
Yet, despite his record-breaking career at club and international levels, the World Cup winner insists that his passion for the game—not the pursuit of numbers—remains his primary motivation.
