In his interview with Rai 1 TV, Pope Francis said that Argentine Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona were not the best football players and drew attention to the greatness of Brazilian Pele.
“As a player, Maradona is great. But as a person, he is poor… Messi is very right, he is a gentleman. But in my opinion, the greatest gentleman among these three is Pele. The 86-year-old priest, known as a passionate football fan, said, “He is a man of the heart.” .
On October 30, Messi won the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time.
Messi became world champion with Argentina in December 2022. The striker was transferred to Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 after playing for French Paris Saint-Germain for two years. On August 20, the Argentinian won the League Cup, the first trophy in America. After 14 matches for Inter Miami, Messi scored 11 goals and 5 assists.
Previously reportedMessi refused to allow Barcelona President Joan Laporta to take a group photo at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.