I’m a Blues fan for life and though I love Manchester City, I can say that Lionel Messi is probably the best footballer in the world at the moment. The Argentine football sensation has just won about every award and accolade in the sport. Here are five outtakes from his success.
- Desire to win. Messi has won the 2009, 2010 and 2011 World Player of the Year awards. Though expectations fuel his desire to be the best on the field, it’s his own drive that eggs him on. “Something deep in my character allows me to take the hits and get on with trying to win.”
- Grit. Being tough isn’t just about dominating physically, it’s about showing you have the dogged determination to get out there and make things happen. Messi wants to play every game and doesn’t like to be sitting out a match – not even to rest.
- Kaizen. Messi’s team mates have praised his influenced on their games. He has taught them to keep improving in every match they play. Continuous learning is the difference between mediocre and great.
- Mental toughness. The ability to compete, innovate, improve and ultimately win has a lot to do with how tough a person is ‘upstairs’. Messi has overcomed the adversity of his growth abnormality and used speed and agility to out play his peers.
- Loyalty. Messi has the ability to move anywhere he wants but he’s committed to his club and has said he’d only leave to play for his country. I can’t think of anything better than doing what you love with and for the people you love.
(He’s really as good as Colin Bell was!)
