Lionel Messi’s biggest regret as Barcelona legend reveals he could have played for Spain

Robin Bairner

25 Feb 2026 08:36 GMT
4 min read

Lionel Messi, Argentina, Spain — © IMAGO

Lionel Messi has revealed that Spain tried to steal him from the Argentina national team while lifting the lid on his life’s biggest regrets.

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With eight Ballons d’Or to his credit, the Inter Miami star is arguably the greatest footballer in history, yet his career could have taken a dramatically different path when given a big decision to make in his youth.

Messi has revealed that Spain tried to stop him playing for the Argentina national team, which he subsequently won the 2022 World Cup with in Qatar.

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Lionel Messi

F (R)

Inter Miami

Lionel Messi

F (R)

Inter Miami

ETV Range

€12.5M - €15.3M

In an extensive interview with Miro de Atras, the 38-year-old revealed: “From Spain, at some point something came my way. I was playing at Barca and they kind of hinted at it. It’s normal, it happens with a lot of kids at that time. Even though I’m Argentine, I left very young and I did a big part of my youth career over there, and it could have happened. But my desire was always Argentina.”

Messi has subsequently gone on to make 196 appearances for his national side, scoring 115 goals along the way, and he should spearhead his country’s defence of their World Cup crown in North America this summer.

Lionel Messi admits: I’ve a ton of regrets

Although Messi has one of the great careers, there are aspects of his life that he would change.

“I regret a ton of things. I tell my kids: getting a good education, not having learned English as a kid. I had time to study and I really regret it,” he confessed.

“Later you experience moments of being with important people; to be able to talk or have a chat and you feel kind of ignorant, you know? I say: ‘What an idiot, how I wasted time’.

© IMAGO - Lionel Messi: A World Cup winner with Argentina

“But football is a way of life, it gives you a lot of values, very strong bonds are formed, you get to know places, you travel… We had the chance to do everything and to give our best, but along the way you have experiences, learning; it also depends on the place you end up. Football educates you.”

Messi might not have the language skills or depth of knowledge he wishes, yet he has still forged a path for himself that will make him go down in history.

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