1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:05,180 INDISTINCT CHATTER Leo! 2 00:00:05,180 --> 00:00:06,700 Leo! 3 00:00:09,420 --> 00:00:12,620 SHOUTED ENCOURAGEMENT 4 00:00:17,900 --> 00:00:20,500 CHEERING 5 00:00:27,180 --> 00:00:29,260 # I lost my mind 6 00:00:29,260 --> 00:00:31,700 # So I stepped out for a time... # 7 00:00:31,700 --> 00:00:34,220 Messi. Give it to him and pray. 8 00:00:34,220 --> 00:00:36,100 Messi! Goal! 9 00:00:36,100 --> 00:00:38,020 It had to be Messi! 10 00:00:38,020 --> 00:00:40,220 # ..on a long road to unwind 11 00:00:42,060 --> 00:00:45,820 # I met myself there 12 00:00:45,820 --> 00:00:48,340 # Saying, go home... # 13 00:00:52,420 --> 00:00:55,100 It's not easy to be always at the peak of your game. 14 00:00:55,100 --> 00:00:59,740 It's basically impossible. But he made it feel like it was possible. 15 00:01:05,420 --> 00:01:07,820 He's always a few seconds before the rest. 16 00:01:07,820 --> 00:01:10,300 He's doing it at a speed that no-one else works at. 17 00:01:10,300 --> 00:01:12,620 The talent's just incredible. 18 00:01:14,540 --> 00:01:16,980 # Yeah, they knocked me out then 19 00:01:19,020 --> 00:01:21,100 # They barely move now... # 20 00:01:21,100 --> 00:01:22,460 Messi collects. 21 00:01:22,460 --> 00:01:24,020 Messi scores! 22 00:01:34,900 --> 00:01:38,740 Everyone will remember him as the greatest. 23 00:01:38,740 --> 00:01:43,780 Messi! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 24 00:02:05,220 --> 00:02:09,180 Nobody could really believe that he would go somewhere. 25 00:02:11,060 --> 00:02:17,300 He's Leo Messi. He's supposed to finish his career in Barcelona. 26 00:02:17,300 --> 00:02:19,340 MESSI SNIFFS 27 00:03:17,340 --> 00:03:20,380 Messi's Barca. Barca's Messi. 28 00:03:20,380 --> 00:03:23,980 Messi's Barca. He's a symbol of Barca. 29 00:03:32,500 --> 00:03:36,740 They think, in Barcelona, Messi is one of them. 30 00:03:36,740 --> 00:03:38,380 A Catalan. 31 00:03:44,780 --> 00:03:48,540 CROWD CHANT: Messi! Messi! Messi! 32 00:04:09,860 --> 00:04:13,340 The Messis are a typical Rosario family - 33 00:04:13,340 --> 00:04:16,380 humble, from a working-class background. 34 00:04:16,380 --> 00:04:20,620 You could see those values, the family values, in Leo, you know. 35 00:04:20,620 --> 00:04:25,020 He married Antonela, his childhood girlfriend from the neighbourhood. 36 00:04:25,020 --> 00:04:27,540 He's still very close to that area, to his friends. 37 00:04:59,780 --> 00:05:01,820 DOG BARKS 38 00:07:38,620 --> 00:07:41,540 He was a very small kid. 39 00:07:41,540 --> 00:07:44,300 You know, he didn't speak. He was very, very shy. 40 00:07:45,980 --> 00:07:49,460 The first training session we had with Leo, and I was playing 41 00:07:49,460 --> 00:07:51,740 a bit more as a defensive midfielder, 42 00:07:51,740 --> 00:07:54,740 and we were doing this exercise of one against one. 43 00:07:54,740 --> 00:07:58,580 In my head, I'm thinking that I'm going to get the ball easy, 44 00:07:58,580 --> 00:08:01,020 you know, from him, because I like to go on the floor 45 00:08:01,020 --> 00:08:02,260 and I like to tackle. 46 00:08:02,260 --> 00:08:05,940 But then I was seeing that he was coming with... 47 00:08:05,940 --> 00:08:09,380 The speed was not normal. He was coming very, very fast at me, 48 00:08:09,380 --> 00:08:13,020 and I was already shocked, because I remember falling on the floor. 49 00:08:13,020 --> 00:08:16,500 You know, I lost ability and he scored the goal. 50 00:08:16,500 --> 00:08:19,100 So, from that moment I said, "Hold on a second, 51 00:08:19,100 --> 00:08:22,420 "we need to take this boy very, very seriously." 52 00:08:34,380 --> 00:08:36,980 Before, it was not that normal to see players 53 00:08:36,980 --> 00:08:39,220 at that age coming from so far. 54 00:08:39,220 --> 00:08:41,940 We were all from the area, Barcelona. 55 00:08:41,940 --> 00:08:46,180 If you were very good, they could take you from somewhere in Spain. 56 00:08:46,180 --> 00:08:49,380 So, of course, you know, seeing someone coming from 57 00:08:49,380 --> 00:08:52,220 so, so far away at such a young age, we all thought, 58 00:08:52,220 --> 00:08:55,660 "Wow, this boy must be something really special." 59 00:08:59,460 --> 00:09:03,020 Once in Barcelona, things didn't work smoothly, 60 00:09:03,020 --> 00:09:05,020 and six months after arrival, 61 00:09:05,020 --> 00:09:07,620 there was a turning point of everybody's life. 62 00:09:07,620 --> 00:09:10,580 Leo's dad and mum, Celia and Jorge, 63 00:09:10,580 --> 00:09:12,300 had been together 64 00:09:12,300 --> 00:09:13,740 since they were teenagers. 65 00:09:13,740 --> 00:09:15,180 Sister wasn't adapting. 66 00:09:15,180 --> 00:09:17,820 Matias, he had a girlfriend back in Rosario. 67 00:09:17,820 --> 00:09:20,260 It was a time to decide - do we stay in Barcelona 68 00:09:20,260 --> 00:09:22,900 or do we go back to Rosario? 69 00:09:22,900 --> 00:09:25,060 They sat around the table, the whole family. 70 00:09:25,060 --> 00:09:26,740 "Leo, what do you want to do?" 71 00:09:26,740 --> 00:09:29,660 And Leo said, "I want to succeed. 72 00:09:29,660 --> 00:09:33,260 "I want to be a Barcelona. I want to be a professional player." 73 00:09:33,260 --> 00:09:36,060 The consequences of that - they hadn't told Leo, of course - 74 00:09:36,060 --> 00:09:39,660 is that meant that Mum will take sister and the two brothers back 75 00:09:39,660 --> 00:09:42,980 to Rosario, and Dad will stay with him. 76 00:09:58,820 --> 00:10:00,700 You need to be mentally very, very strong. 77 00:10:00,700 --> 00:10:02,260 You need to have a special character. 78 00:10:02,260 --> 00:10:05,380 Otherwise, you don't succeed. 79 00:10:05,380 --> 00:10:08,620 There is so many moments where you feel weak, 80 00:10:08,620 --> 00:10:12,060 where you... You know, your head mislead you a little bit, 81 00:10:12,060 --> 00:10:14,100 that you want to go back to your family, 82 00:10:14,100 --> 00:10:15,540 you want to go back to your habits, 83 00:10:15,540 --> 00:10:17,340 to your grandparents, to your friends, 84 00:10:17,340 --> 00:10:19,980 to playing football where you started. 85 00:10:19,980 --> 00:10:22,180 So, I'm sure it was very tough, 86 00:10:22,180 --> 00:10:25,260 but I want to believe that, you know, we were good kids as well, 87 00:10:25,260 --> 00:10:28,220 and we tried all the ways to be next to him and help him 88 00:10:28,220 --> 00:10:29,820 as much as we could. 89 00:10:33,740 --> 00:10:36,820 There were moments, a lot of moments, 90 00:10:36,820 --> 00:10:39,460 where I'm sure Leo must have, if not doubted, 91 00:10:39,460 --> 00:10:41,500 at least wondered what he's done to his family. 92 00:10:41,500 --> 00:10:43,940 And often he would go into his room 93 00:10:43,940 --> 00:10:46,780 and put his head under the pillow and cry. 94 00:10:46,780 --> 00:10:50,300 And he did that so his dad didn't hear him cry, 95 00:10:50,300 --> 00:10:52,660 because he then, at 14,15, 96 00:10:52,660 --> 00:10:57,420 realised that because of his decision, he couldn't get it wrong, 97 00:10:57,420 --> 00:11:00,380 and basically now it was his time to deliver. 98 00:11:57,140 --> 00:11:59,340 Gerard Pique also left the year after me, 99 00:11:59,340 --> 00:12:02,220 and Gerard and I, we were from Barcelona. 100 00:12:02,220 --> 00:12:05,820 We were there because maybe we were the best in Barcelona, 101 00:12:05,820 --> 00:12:08,820 not because they saw us in Argentina, 12 years old, 102 00:12:08,820 --> 00:12:11,980 and they thought we could be one of the best players in the world. 103 00:12:25,100 --> 00:12:27,140 Hello. 104 00:12:28,420 --> 00:12:31,940 The first time I saw him, actually, 105 00:12:31,940 --> 00:12:37,060 was when we went to pre-season tour to Asia with Barcelona. 106 00:12:37,060 --> 00:12:39,260 And it was my second year there. 107 00:12:39,260 --> 00:12:43,860 And, yeah, you're a lot of young players 108 00:12:43,860 --> 00:12:46,020 and the regular squad, 109 00:12:46,020 --> 00:12:48,180 and Leo was coming with us, 110 00:12:48,180 --> 00:12:50,900 and I haven't seen him playing football, 111 00:12:50,900 --> 00:12:53,700 but obviously I understood that if he's with us, 112 00:12:53,700 --> 00:12:55,460 he can play a little bit. 113 00:12:55,460 --> 00:12:58,540 And I remember talking to Giovanni van Bronckhorst 114 00:12:58,540 --> 00:13:02,220 after the first practice, "Who's that guy?" 115 00:13:02,220 --> 00:13:03,900 And he said, "It's Lionel Messi." 116 00:13:03,900 --> 00:13:07,860 He's from Barca B, he's going to come in and play with us." 117 00:13:07,860 --> 00:13:11,020 And I said, "Ah. Well, he can play." 118 00:13:11,020 --> 00:13:15,700 His character back then was quiet, breathing in the situation. 119 00:13:17,700 --> 00:13:21,420 At the time, Ronaldinho was the main man in the dressing room. 120 00:13:21,420 --> 00:13:23,340 He was the number ten. 121 00:13:23,340 --> 00:13:26,380 What he could do with the ball was just incredible. 122 00:13:54,900 --> 00:13:58,020 When I joined Barcelona, when arriving in the changing Room, 123 00:13:58,020 --> 00:14:01,620 Ronaldinho put me aside and he started to speak with me 124 00:14:01,620 --> 00:14:05,540 and he said, "Whatever you need, I'm here for you." 125 00:14:05,540 --> 00:14:08,300 He did exactly the same with Leo. 126 00:14:08,300 --> 00:14:10,540 Him, Deco, 127 00:14:10,540 --> 00:14:14,180 they were superstars, but they were so humble. 128 00:14:14,180 --> 00:14:18,700 With Leo, he understand he will become in the future 129 00:14:18,700 --> 00:14:21,300 one of the greatest of all time, you know? 130 00:14:21,300 --> 00:14:24,460 So, he was there for every single moment. 131 00:14:34,900 --> 00:14:37,700 When I saw Ronaldinho, I thought, this is the best footballer 132 00:14:37,700 --> 00:14:41,580 I will ever see, up until that day. 133 00:14:45,540 --> 00:14:48,180 Ronaldinho handled everything with a smile. 134 00:14:52,980 --> 00:14:56,060 Leo is a little bit more introvert, 135 00:14:56,060 --> 00:14:59,660 but I think saw what it takes to be the main man. 136 00:15:22,460 --> 00:15:25,460 Leo Messi's brought the Camp Nou to life! 137 00:15:31,180 --> 00:15:33,620 We were meeting without Leo. 138 00:15:33,620 --> 00:15:38,300 Sometimes we were speaking about his talent, and we were making, like, 139 00:15:38,300 --> 00:15:42,140 some kind of plans to make him grow in the best way. 140 00:15:42,140 --> 00:15:47,380 In that meeting, it was Deco, Ronaldinho, Puyol, Xavi. 141 00:15:47,380 --> 00:15:49,180 People who made history 142 00:15:49,180 --> 00:15:51,860 not only in Barcelona but in football world. 143 00:15:51,860 --> 00:15:53,500 Perfect. 144 00:16:38,820 --> 00:16:41,220 STADIUM ANNOUNCER: Claudia Schiffer und Pele. 145 00:16:47,460 --> 00:16:50,580 For the 2006 World Cup, the whole FIFA machinery 146 00:16:50,580 --> 00:16:53,020 is now making a thing about Messi. 147 00:16:53,020 --> 00:16:55,860 And so there's buildings in Germany with his picture, 148 00:16:55,860 --> 00:16:59,140 and there's a lot riding on this expectation. 149 00:16:59,140 --> 00:17:02,580 Young Leo would have just won the Youth World Cup, 150 00:17:02,580 --> 00:17:06,220 and he was part of that generation of young players coming through 151 00:17:06,220 --> 00:17:08,580 with Jose Pekerman as the manager. 152 00:17:14,140 --> 00:17:16,580 COMMENTATOR: Listen to the roar that greets this young man. 153 00:17:16,580 --> 00:17:18,220 It's only his eighth cap. 154 00:17:18,220 --> 00:17:20,420 His nickname is The Flea. 155 00:17:20,420 --> 00:17:23,660 In front, we play me and Saviola, 156 00:17:23,660 --> 00:17:25,780 Tevez and Riquelme. 157 00:17:25,780 --> 00:17:27,660 We were a great team. 158 00:17:27,660 --> 00:17:31,100 He's coming and joins us as a number 23 or 22, 159 00:17:31,100 --> 00:17:32,620 in terms of the list. 160 00:17:54,580 --> 00:17:56,820 Everyone wants to see Messi. 161 00:17:56,820 --> 00:17:59,620 And Messi's already a name and a thing, 162 00:17:59,620 --> 00:18:01,780 but he's never played World Cup. 163 00:18:03,780 --> 00:18:05,940 He was a really young player, 164 00:18:05,940 --> 00:18:09,460 but at the same time show us - everything, he can do it. 165 00:18:20,180 --> 00:18:23,820 Pekerman plays Messi not that much in that World Cup. 166 00:18:23,820 --> 00:18:26,860 And in fact, when Argentina go out to Germany, 167 00:18:26,860 --> 00:18:29,660 Messi's on the bench. 168 00:18:29,660 --> 00:18:31,580 COMMENTATOR: It's Germany! 169 00:18:33,380 --> 00:18:35,420 Jens Lehmann is the hero. 170 00:18:35,420 --> 00:18:37,500 Germany are into the last four! 171 00:18:53,100 --> 00:18:56,380 This is the one instance, I think, in the history of world football 172 00:18:56,380 --> 00:19:00,340 where it was unanimous that people were furious 173 00:19:00,340 --> 00:19:01,820 that Messi didn't play. 174 00:19:01,820 --> 00:19:04,860 Messi was furious, the Argentinian FA were furious, 175 00:19:04,860 --> 00:19:08,260 the fans were furious, the journalists were furious. 176 00:19:08,260 --> 00:19:10,540 Possibly FIFA were furious. 177 00:19:10,540 --> 00:19:12,940 When you are eliminated after the World Cup, 178 00:19:12,940 --> 00:19:15,940 everyone wants to find the guilty, 179 00:19:15,940 --> 00:19:18,060 every of us wants to... 180 00:19:18,060 --> 00:19:22,980 "If I change that or that to change the history." 181 00:19:22,980 --> 00:19:25,460 The history, you never change it. 182 00:19:47,300 --> 00:19:49,580 Leo started to accumulate games 183 00:19:49,580 --> 00:19:54,020 and started to score goals and to be different. 184 00:19:54,020 --> 00:19:57,620 Those two years - 2006, 2007 - were a turning point. 185 00:20:01,300 --> 00:20:02,620 I was playing for Espanyol 186 00:20:02,620 --> 00:20:04,780 and he was on the other side of the city. 187 00:20:04,780 --> 00:20:07,220 He had some friends, but he was shy 188 00:20:07,220 --> 00:20:09,860 and I felt like I need to look after him. 189 00:20:09,860 --> 00:20:13,180 I need to make sure that he's always good 190 00:20:13,180 --> 00:20:15,740 and surrounded by nice people 191 00:20:15,740 --> 00:20:18,100 because in football, when you... 192 00:20:18,100 --> 00:20:20,460 ..when you become a star, 193 00:20:20,460 --> 00:20:23,660 everyone wants to come and be your friend. 194 00:20:27,940 --> 00:20:29,980 I was the only one to drive, 195 00:20:29,980 --> 00:20:33,620 so I used to take him a few times to some restaurant, 196 00:20:33,620 --> 00:20:36,860 and I remember his father talking and saying, 197 00:20:36,860 --> 00:20:39,940 "Please, take care of him, you know, look after Leo." 198 00:20:39,940 --> 00:20:41,980 For me, it was like having an... 199 00:20:41,980 --> 00:20:44,980 Imagine £80 million next to me. 200 00:20:44,980 --> 00:20:46,860 HE CHUCKLES 201 00:20:46,860 --> 00:20:50,860 The main thing was just to drop Messi off in his house 202 00:20:50,860 --> 00:20:52,700 and safe and all that. 203 00:20:54,060 --> 00:20:55,580 Nobody knew me. That's... 204 00:20:55,580 --> 00:20:58,220 I was playing for the other team of the city, 205 00:20:58,220 --> 00:21:00,420 but everyone knew Messi. 206 00:21:04,900 --> 00:21:07,780 You started to see Rijkaard wanted to play him more 207 00:21:07,780 --> 00:21:11,260 because obviously, even at this high level, he could... 208 00:21:13,180 --> 00:21:15,700 ..have great use of Lionel. 209 00:21:15,700 --> 00:21:17,860 At one point, he scored when... 210 00:21:17,860 --> 00:21:19,620 ..when he wanted to score. 211 00:21:20,580 --> 00:21:22,660 SPANISH COMMENTARY 212 00:21:23,980 --> 00:21:27,940 At a time where you don't give 17-year-olds opportunities, 213 00:21:27,940 --> 00:21:31,300 especially in Barcelona, the manager will demand players 214 00:21:31,300 --> 00:21:34,860 that are already matured and that allow Barcelona to win. 215 00:21:35,900 --> 00:21:39,100 It wasn't the done thing to get youngsters through. 216 00:21:39,100 --> 00:21:40,860 Yes, at some point. 217 00:21:40,860 --> 00:21:43,900 For instance, Iniesta started making an impact when he was 23, 218 00:21:43,900 --> 00:21:45,740 Xavi when he was 22 219 00:21:45,740 --> 00:21:48,100 At 17, it's just... It wasn't the done thing. 220 00:21:48,100 --> 00:21:50,620 But Frank gave him the opportunity. 221 00:21:52,140 --> 00:21:55,460 Frank, for me, was the best coach I had. 222 00:21:55,460 --> 00:21:59,620 He had the right word in every single moment for any one of us. 223 00:22:06,820 --> 00:22:09,700 Frank could see the context of the situation, 224 00:22:09,700 --> 00:22:12,340 could see how important it was that in the first few years 225 00:22:12,340 --> 00:22:14,580 there wasn't so much demand towards Messi. 226 00:22:14,580 --> 00:22:17,420 He became like an older brother to Leo. 227 00:22:18,860 --> 00:22:23,860 I think he was lucky to have the first coach Frank, 228 00:22:23,860 --> 00:22:25,860 because Frank was different. 229 00:22:28,580 --> 00:22:31,140 He always told him, "Leo, you are a winger right now 230 00:22:31,140 --> 00:22:33,940 "because you've got pace and you can influence the game a lot in there, 231 00:22:33,940 --> 00:22:36,740 "but you are going to be, at some point, the main focal point. 232 00:22:36,740 --> 00:22:38,940 "It could be under me or under somebody else, 233 00:22:38,940 --> 00:22:41,380 "because you're going to grow to become a player that wins games." 234 00:22:42,820 --> 00:22:44,060 COMMENTATOR: Xavi. 235 00:22:44,060 --> 00:22:46,220 Messi. SPANISH COMMENTARY 236 00:23:21,020 --> 00:23:23,660 COMMENTATOR: But here's Maradona again. 237 00:23:23,660 --> 00:23:26,300 Has Burruchaga to his left, and Valdano to his left. 238 00:23:26,300 --> 00:23:28,300 He won't need any of them. 239 00:23:28,300 --> 00:23:31,220 Oh! You have to say that's magnificent. 240 00:23:31,220 --> 00:23:34,020 Everybody said it's like the Maradona magic is back 241 00:23:34,020 --> 00:23:36,140 in the feet of this guy from Rosario. 242 00:23:38,580 --> 00:23:40,060 Pure football genius. 243 00:23:41,900 --> 00:23:45,940 How do you compare yourself to Maradona if you're Argentine? 244 00:23:45,940 --> 00:23:48,380 I mean, the two goals that Maradona scored 245 00:23:48,380 --> 00:23:52,100 against England in 1986 246 00:23:52,100 --> 00:23:56,140 were living out an Argentine fantasy. 247 00:23:56,140 --> 00:24:00,820 He already had become the big hope of Argentinian football. 248 00:24:00,820 --> 00:24:04,820 But of course, what everybody wanted is not just that he becomes 249 00:24:04,820 --> 00:24:07,140 the leader of Argentina and makes them win the World Cup, 250 00:24:07,140 --> 00:24:10,780 as Maradona had done - people wanted him to be Maradona. 251 00:24:10,780 --> 00:24:12,740 MUSIC: La Bamba by Dusty Springfield 252 00:24:22,660 --> 00:24:24,780 Maradona, Maradona, Maradona. 253 00:24:26,140 --> 00:24:29,420 Diego brought so much joy to the Argentinian people. 254 00:24:41,900 --> 00:24:43,460 If you're creating a narrative, 255 00:24:43,460 --> 00:24:45,700 you want disaster as well as the triumph, 256 00:24:45,700 --> 00:24:47,500 and Maradona had had that. 257 00:24:47,500 --> 00:24:48,900 And he wins the World Cup. 258 00:25:14,220 --> 00:25:19,020 The truth is, in terms of football, they are so similar. 259 00:25:19,020 --> 00:25:22,300 Off the pitch, they're massively different. 260 00:25:22,300 --> 00:25:25,380 Diego is a huge personality off the pitch as well - 261 00:25:25,380 --> 00:25:27,860 a massive ego, huge following. 262 00:25:27,860 --> 00:25:30,620 Everywhere he went, his life was madness. 263 00:25:30,620 --> 00:25:33,420 Messi's quiet and much calmer off the field. 264 00:25:38,420 --> 00:25:41,140 Maradona, from the very moment he arrives, 265 00:25:41,140 --> 00:25:43,740 people realise this is... 266 00:25:43,740 --> 00:25:46,220 I mean, his nickname immediately was El Pibe de Oro - 267 00:25:46,220 --> 00:25:49,300 the golden urchin, the golden child, the golden boy. 268 00:25:49,300 --> 00:25:52,540 It's that he looks like the ideal of an Argentinian 269 00:25:52,540 --> 00:25:56,900 and that he has this very dramatic life story. 270 00:25:56,900 --> 00:25:58,620 And so I guess that's the pressure - 271 00:25:58,620 --> 00:26:00,620 he is always being compared directly to Maradona, 272 00:26:00,620 --> 00:26:03,500 but until he wins a World Cup, 273 00:26:03,500 --> 00:26:05,340 he's never going to match him for Argentinians. 274 00:28:08,340 --> 00:28:10,420 Have you seen that advertisement of a... 275 00:28:10,420 --> 00:28:12,700 of a rabbit with, um... 276 00:28:12,700 --> 00:28:14,940 ..with drums. 277 00:28:14,940 --> 00:28:17,300 He's got two batteries, that rabbit. 278 00:28:17,300 --> 00:28:19,620 You take one, it stops. 279 00:28:19,620 --> 00:28:22,180 Messi had only one - couldn't grow naturally. 280 00:28:22,180 --> 00:28:24,460 What the hormones did, once they identified 281 00:28:24,460 --> 00:28:28,620 that he had a growth problem, was to make him grow naturally. 282 00:28:36,700 --> 00:28:41,100 That was already a test to his endurance and his mental strength 283 00:28:41,100 --> 00:28:44,820 because he just had to get this little thing, open it, 284 00:28:44,820 --> 00:28:48,100 injection, just put it into his leg, and move on. 285 00:28:48,100 --> 00:28:51,700 And to see an 11-year-old doing that, it must have been a shock. 286 00:29:12,220 --> 00:29:16,060 The way they worked at the time was that agents proposed players 287 00:29:16,060 --> 00:29:18,500 to the club and there were agents that were close to Barcelona, 288 00:29:18,500 --> 00:29:20,740 like Jose Maria Minguella. 289 00:29:20,740 --> 00:29:24,500 He told Barcelona that it would be a good idea to get him, 290 00:29:24,500 --> 00:29:26,580 and the reaction from the club was like, 291 00:29:26,580 --> 00:29:29,620 "A 12-year-old from Argentina?" 292 00:29:29,620 --> 00:29:31,100 That wasn't done and. 293 00:29:31,100 --> 00:29:35,380 And, all right, they convinced Barcelona to do a trial for Leo. 294 00:29:35,380 --> 00:29:38,820 Charly Rexach, the director of football at the time, arrived, 295 00:29:38,820 --> 00:29:41,260 started walking as the game was going on, 296 00:29:41,260 --> 00:29:44,860 was looking at what Messi was doing, must have been one minute, two, 297 00:29:44,860 --> 00:29:47,340 sits on the bench and tells the coaches, 298 00:29:47,340 --> 00:29:49,620 "Exactly why you haven't signed that guy yet?" 299 00:29:49,620 --> 00:29:51,380 Because he was outstanding. 300 00:29:51,380 --> 00:29:54,140 There was a meeting in a tennis club 301 00:29:54,140 --> 00:29:58,740 and I think it was Charly who asked for a napkin, paper napkin, 302 00:29:58,740 --> 00:30:02,140 and a pen and just wrote a few conditions. 303 00:30:02,140 --> 00:30:04,180 And, you know, "I, Charly Rexach, agrees 304 00:30:04,180 --> 00:30:06,020 "that Leo Messi will be a player." 305 00:30:06,020 --> 00:30:09,060 Barcelona signed it and gave it to Minguella, 306 00:30:09,060 --> 00:30:10,940 hoping that that was enough. 307 00:30:10,940 --> 00:30:12,900 And, yes, that was enough. 308 00:30:49,500 --> 00:30:54,180 Watching this Barcelona team was brilliant. 309 00:30:54,180 --> 00:30:59,020 That was Pep's first experience as a coach in Barcelona 310 00:30:59,020 --> 00:31:02,500 with probably the best Messi, 311 00:31:02,500 --> 00:31:04,780 with prime Leo. 312 00:31:04,780 --> 00:31:08,180 Pep improved Messi and Messi improved Pep. 313 00:31:08,180 --> 00:31:11,140 They were... They were perfect together. 314 00:31:11,140 --> 00:31:14,100 That was probably the best team he played in, Barcelona at that time. 315 00:31:14,100 --> 00:31:15,900 I mean, they were so strong, weren't they? 316 00:31:15,900 --> 00:31:18,140 With Iniesta and Xavi and Pique and Puyol - 317 00:31:18,140 --> 00:31:20,460 all these wonderfully gifted players. 318 00:31:20,460 --> 00:31:23,980 So if you've got a great team behind you, that's going to help you. 319 00:31:23,980 --> 00:31:26,100 However great you are, you do need a team. 320 00:31:26,100 --> 00:31:28,220 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ANTHEM PLAYS 321 00:31:39,660 --> 00:31:41,900 COMMENTATOR: It's Manchester United against Barcelona 322 00:31:41,900 --> 00:31:44,340 for the biggest European Cup prize of them all. 323 00:31:45,380 --> 00:31:47,780 SPANISH COMMENTARY Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo... 324 00:31:55,300 --> 00:31:57,100 We were ready for Messi, yeah. 325 00:31:57,100 --> 00:31:58,660 We thought. 326 00:31:58,660 --> 00:32:01,180 We'd played against him before and we'd locked him down. 327 00:32:02,220 --> 00:32:04,540 Um... But this was a different Messi. 328 00:32:07,540 --> 00:32:09,740 This was Messi who had more freedom to run around 329 00:32:09,740 --> 00:32:12,180 and pop up anywhere and surprise you. 330 00:32:12,180 --> 00:32:13,380 Pfft. 331 00:32:17,260 --> 00:32:20,860 If you were picking out the five best players in the world - 332 00:32:20,860 --> 00:32:23,340 Messi, Ronaldo, right? 333 00:32:23,340 --> 00:32:26,820 Xavi, Iniesta, and many would argue Busquets. 334 00:32:26,820 --> 00:32:30,420 So four of the top five players in the world, arguably, 335 00:32:30,420 --> 00:32:32,180 are playing in that one team. 336 00:32:35,260 --> 00:32:37,980 COMMENTATOR: Barca lead 1-0. 337 00:32:37,980 --> 00:32:39,820 Hold on, and they had Pep Guardiola. 338 00:32:41,700 --> 00:32:43,060 Do you know what I mean? 339 00:32:45,980 --> 00:32:49,260 What I used to do a lot is gamble on their... 340 00:32:50,380 --> 00:32:53,100 ..their lack of ability to be able to get the ball past me. 341 00:32:53,100 --> 00:32:55,860 Problem was the person on the ball was Xavi. 342 00:32:55,860 --> 00:32:57,700 Si. 343 00:32:57,700 --> 00:33:00,060 If you know your players, you know who you're dealing with. 344 00:33:00,060 --> 00:33:02,180 SPANISH COMMENTARY 345 00:33:05,380 --> 00:33:06,660 Scores with a header! 346 00:33:08,660 --> 00:33:13,500 Lionel Messi makes it Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United. 347 00:33:16,540 --> 00:33:18,820 When Messi scores the header and everyone says, 348 00:33:18,820 --> 00:33:21,220 "But, like, the size of you, the size of him..." 349 00:33:22,740 --> 00:33:24,700 An outrageous header, really. 350 00:33:24,700 --> 00:33:26,940 He hasn't scored many of them in his career 351 00:33:26,940 --> 00:33:28,740 but he's done it in the big moment. 352 00:33:45,620 --> 00:33:47,620 HORNS HONKING CHANTING 353 00:33:51,580 --> 00:33:53,060 Messi! 354 00:33:53,060 --> 00:33:55,100 CHEERING 355 00:34:15,460 --> 00:34:18,180 Barcelona ended up winning absolutely everything 356 00:34:18,180 --> 00:34:20,500 because he was the best player in the world at the time. 357 00:34:22,780 --> 00:34:26,860 The thing about him is that he took it naturally. 358 00:34:26,860 --> 00:34:29,820 You know, for him, it's in his veins, it's in his blood. 359 00:34:29,820 --> 00:34:33,780 He just wants to win at any cost. 360 00:34:33,780 --> 00:34:36,780 Whatever he needs to do, he will do to win. 361 00:34:48,780 --> 00:34:51,620 Leo always wanted to win something with Argentina. 362 00:34:51,620 --> 00:34:55,900 He said many, many times that he will swap all his individual awards 363 00:34:55,900 --> 00:34:57,700 for winning something with Argentina. 364 00:35:04,020 --> 00:35:06,060 HE SINGS IN SPANISH 365 00:35:08,100 --> 00:35:11,740 In 2010, as always, the expectations were very high. 366 00:35:11,740 --> 00:35:13,740 CHANTS IN SPANISH 367 00:35:14,980 --> 00:35:16,820 Messi's the best player in the world. 368 00:35:16,820 --> 00:35:19,660 Better than Maradona. Better than anybody. Better than Ronaldo. 369 00:35:19,660 --> 00:35:20,820 Messi! 370 00:35:20,820 --> 00:35:23,700 Diego Maradona in charge 371 00:35:23,700 --> 00:35:26,220 with a very good group of players, 372 00:35:26,220 --> 00:35:31,140 with Leo with a few years under his belt as the main player. 373 00:35:31,140 --> 00:35:33,660 The relationship was very good. 374 00:35:33,660 --> 00:35:35,700 Diego loved Leo, 375 00:35:35,700 --> 00:35:39,020 and for Leo, Diego obviously was a hero. 376 00:35:52,980 --> 00:35:55,660 It ended up in disaster. 377 00:35:59,260 --> 00:36:01,620 COMMENTATOR: It's four! 378 00:36:01,620 --> 00:36:03,780 Getting destroyed by Germany. 379 00:36:03,780 --> 00:36:07,260 Maradona's Argentina are out. 380 00:36:08,820 --> 00:36:13,300 I think the expectation to have in the same squad Leo 381 00:36:13,300 --> 00:36:16,380 and also Diego as a manager was... 382 00:36:16,380 --> 00:36:18,100 ..was difficult. 383 00:36:18,100 --> 00:36:20,900 Things got very volatile between Diego Maradona 384 00:36:20,900 --> 00:36:22,660 and the whole Argentina football world. 385 00:36:22,660 --> 00:36:24,660 INAUDIBLE 386 00:36:26,140 --> 00:36:29,540 Maradona thrived on conflict. 387 00:36:29,540 --> 00:36:32,380 His fuel was this very nice word 388 00:36:32,380 --> 00:36:36,660 from Argentinian slang - bronca. 389 00:36:36,660 --> 00:36:41,300 Argentina against the world, him against the other players. 390 00:36:41,300 --> 00:36:44,380 He really fed off this sense of conflict. 391 00:36:44,380 --> 00:36:48,420 I think Messi is evolutionarily more advanced 392 00:36:48,420 --> 00:36:51,540 and rather than thriving on conflict, he thrives on cooperation, 393 00:36:51,540 --> 00:36:55,940 which is really...in the kind of evolutionary term, 394 00:36:55,940 --> 00:36:59,300 survival has always come about through cooperation 395 00:36:59,300 --> 00:37:03,380 rather than competition. And so Messi needs to be part 396 00:37:03,380 --> 00:37:07,780 of a well-oiled, harmonious machinery 397 00:37:07,780 --> 00:37:12,620 that is about him being in a cooperative system. 398 00:37:15,180 --> 00:37:16,780 COMMENTATOR: We're at Wembley 399 00:37:16,780 --> 00:37:20,540 and it's the 2011 Champions League final, 400 00:37:20,540 --> 00:37:22,740 arguably the biggest game in football. 401 00:37:37,780 --> 00:37:40,300 The finals where we got Barcelona, 402 00:37:40,300 --> 00:37:42,820 unfortunately for us, we were facing 403 00:37:42,820 --> 00:37:45,860 the best team in the world 404 00:37:45,860 --> 00:37:47,980 with one of the best players 405 00:37:47,980 --> 00:37:51,180 that's ever, ever put on a pair of football boots. 406 00:37:51,180 --> 00:37:54,060 I look at it now and think, you know what, how unlucky is that, really?" 407 00:37:54,060 --> 00:37:56,940 To get to two finals and we bump into them. It's a liberty really. 408 00:37:56,940 --> 00:37:59,340 Si. It shouldn't be allowed. 409 00:37:59,340 --> 00:38:02,620 COMMENTATOR: Xavi. On to the unmarked Pedro. 410 00:38:02,620 --> 00:38:04,540 And it's a goal for Barcelona! 411 00:38:06,460 --> 00:38:10,260 Messi was just like...no eye contact, 412 00:38:10,260 --> 00:38:12,740 nothing. He just separated himself. 413 00:38:12,740 --> 00:38:13,940 He just played away from you. 414 00:38:13,940 --> 00:38:15,980 And then, all of a sudden, he'd turn up - bang. 415 00:38:15,980 --> 00:38:17,220 Sir Alex Ferguson said that he 416 00:38:17,220 --> 00:38:19,060 should've put Ji-sung Park on him maybe. 417 00:38:19,060 --> 00:38:21,140 If anyone could've done it, he would've been the guy. 418 00:38:21,140 --> 00:38:22,900 But I've watched some of the clips in that game 419 00:38:22,900 --> 00:38:26,380 and he moves Ji-sung Park about. Woo-woomp, moves him, see you later. 420 00:38:26,380 --> 00:38:29,380 He would have slowed him down maybe, which maybe would have been enough. 421 00:38:29,380 --> 00:38:32,380 But does that stop prime-time Lionel Messi? 422 00:38:32,380 --> 00:38:34,660 I very much doubt it. 423 00:38:34,660 --> 00:38:37,180 I don't think one player can do it. 424 00:38:37,180 --> 00:38:39,540 Iniesta. Messi still lurking deep. 425 00:38:39,540 --> 00:38:42,180 The ball played between Xavi and Iniesta once more. 426 00:38:42,180 --> 00:38:43,620 Messi's available. 427 00:38:43,620 --> 00:38:45,380 Messi given the ball. Scurries forward. 428 00:38:46,460 --> 00:38:47,860 What a goal from Lionel Messi! 429 00:38:50,900 --> 00:38:52,940 SPANISH COMMENTARY 430 00:38:58,220 --> 00:39:00,220 I remember standing on the pitch and just going, 431 00:39:00,220 --> 00:39:02,620 "We just need to get off here because they've just took..." 432 00:39:02,620 --> 00:39:05,060 "They've took our soul, basically." 433 00:39:05,060 --> 00:39:06,780 And Messi was the main ingredient. 434 00:39:18,340 --> 00:39:21,980 The Pep years were probably the start of Messi's peak. 435 00:39:21,980 --> 00:39:23,620 It's been a long peak! 436 00:39:26,580 --> 00:39:28,220 I get a bit carried away by Messi. 437 00:39:28,220 --> 00:39:31,140 I don't mind admitting that because he fills me with joy. 438 00:39:31,140 --> 00:39:33,580 If I had one game left on Earth, 439 00:39:33,580 --> 00:39:37,180 I'd watch Messi because Messi stirs the soul. 440 00:39:42,740 --> 00:39:44,700 Never fails to take the breath away. 441 00:39:45,780 --> 00:39:48,580 He does four or five things in every game I would never have been able 442 00:39:48,580 --> 00:39:50,460 to do once in my entire career. 443 00:39:50,460 --> 00:39:53,500 He's running with the ball, tighter control than anyone, 444 00:39:53,500 --> 00:39:56,140 quicker than anybody, and the agility to be able 445 00:39:56,140 --> 00:39:58,940 to change direction, all with his head up. 446 00:39:58,940 --> 00:40:00,940 Just a wonderful footballer, man. 447 00:40:00,940 --> 00:40:04,020 Just, like, can't even put it into words, how good is. 448 00:40:11,540 --> 00:40:15,420 Sometimes I thought about it like if it was me who scored 449 00:40:15,420 --> 00:40:18,020 that many goals, like, how would you feel? 450 00:40:18,020 --> 00:40:20,100 You know, because sometimes I score a goal. 451 00:40:20,100 --> 00:40:22,580 I scored only one hattrick in my career and I was, like, 452 00:40:22,580 --> 00:40:24,580 I couldn't sleep for two days! 453 00:40:24,580 --> 00:40:26,820 But he must have felt this every game he plays. 454 00:40:41,300 --> 00:40:43,660 There doesn't seem too much of an ego with him. 455 00:40:43,660 --> 00:40:46,820 I remember being at a Barcelona game once, sort of backstage, 456 00:40:46,820 --> 00:40:49,540 and he walked past with all the other Barcelona players 457 00:40:49,540 --> 00:40:51,700 and it was almost like a sort of school trip, 458 00:40:51,700 --> 00:40:54,660 with Xavi and Iniesta, but he just didn't, 459 00:40:54,660 --> 00:40:58,020 he wasn't leading things, just seemed part of the team. 460 00:41:00,940 --> 00:41:03,660 Many of our superstars, they're much bigger personalities 461 00:41:03,660 --> 00:41:04,980 off the pitch as well. 462 00:41:04,980 --> 00:41:08,380 He's not, he's the opposite. He keeps himself to himself. 463 00:41:08,380 --> 00:41:12,580 So, he's a little bit of an enigma in that sense. 464 00:41:12,580 --> 00:41:15,140 I do remember interviewing him in Barcelona once 465 00:41:15,140 --> 00:41:18,820 and after the interview, I was waiting in the car park 466 00:41:18,820 --> 00:41:21,620 and there were loads of tourists going to the museum and the shop 467 00:41:21,620 --> 00:41:23,260 and people milling about. 468 00:41:23,260 --> 00:41:26,340 And there was a guy that worked at the stadium chatting 469 00:41:26,340 --> 00:41:29,620 to a younger guy who was leaning against the car, eating an apple. 470 00:41:29,620 --> 00:41:31,580 And it took me quite a while to realise 471 00:41:31,580 --> 00:41:33,420 that the younger guy was Messi. 472 00:41:35,460 --> 00:41:37,300 You know, nobody noticed he was there. 473 00:41:37,300 --> 00:41:41,620 I don't know what that is, but I know that other players, 474 00:41:41,620 --> 00:41:46,220 even of that same Barcelona team, would have garnered more attention 475 00:41:46,220 --> 00:41:48,260 in a public space like that. 476 00:42:08,140 --> 00:42:09,980 His wife is his childhood sweetheart. 477 00:42:09,980 --> 00:42:12,580 There's nothing wrong with that. That's fine. That's great. 478 00:42:12,580 --> 00:42:15,540 But there's a sense that a lot of things in his life are exactly 479 00:42:15,540 --> 00:42:19,700 the same now as they were when he was sort of 15, 16. 480 00:42:19,700 --> 00:42:22,220 And I guess, you know, his lifestyle hasn't changed that much. 481 00:42:22,220 --> 00:42:23,540 Turns up to training. 482 00:42:23,540 --> 00:42:25,220 Do your training, do your fitness work. 483 00:42:25,220 --> 00:42:27,260 Go home, play a bit of PlayStation. 484 00:42:27,260 --> 00:42:30,940 There's something about him that just makes him not stand out... 485 00:42:32,980 --> 00:42:34,900 ..unless he's on the pitch. 486 00:42:52,860 --> 00:42:56,900 2014 World Cup. Millions of Argentina descend on Brazil. 487 00:43:00,660 --> 00:43:04,220 The teams play well. Leo play very, very well. 488 00:43:06,980 --> 00:43:11,340 That's what they came for, by train, plane and automobile. 489 00:43:11,340 --> 00:43:14,260 50,000 Argentines have found their way to Rio 490 00:43:14,260 --> 00:43:17,220 and Lionel Messi finally rewards them. 491 00:43:18,860 --> 00:43:21,460 We get to the final with a lot of hope. 492 00:43:31,020 --> 00:43:34,700 They all expect Leo to win and do everything. 493 00:43:34,700 --> 00:43:37,740 At some point, it was so much pressure on Leo. 494 00:43:40,180 --> 00:43:43,220 He's not a person, he doesn't like to talk too much. 495 00:43:44,860 --> 00:43:48,500 He said a few words before the game against Germany. 496 00:43:49,860 --> 00:43:52,980 As a leader, you don't need to speak all the time. 497 00:43:52,980 --> 00:43:55,420 Sometimes you have leaders in the team that they probably 498 00:43:55,420 --> 00:43:56,740 don't speak too much. 499 00:43:56,740 --> 00:44:00,340 But then in the right moment to talk to someone is the moment 500 00:44:00,340 --> 00:44:03,060 to say something and everyone listen. 501 00:44:05,580 --> 00:44:07,660 Guys, we're in the World Cup final. 502 00:44:07,660 --> 00:44:10,420 Whatever happen today, if we win, we lose, 503 00:44:10,420 --> 00:44:15,460 just let enjoy the game and, you know, that coming from Leo, 504 00:44:15,460 --> 00:44:17,940 that he's been in Champions League final, 505 00:44:17,940 --> 00:44:21,020 he's one of the greatest players in the world, 506 00:44:21,020 --> 00:44:25,260 but he knew that that day and that game was special. 507 00:44:26,500 --> 00:44:30,740 It was a dream for him, being in the World Cup final as well. 508 00:44:39,500 --> 00:44:43,580 The difference is, it's big, winning or losing the World Cup. 509 00:44:43,580 --> 00:44:48,580 Because if you win, you can say for the rest of your lives, 510 00:44:48,580 --> 00:44:51,260 I'm a World Cup champion. 511 00:44:51,260 --> 00:44:53,540 The flag has stayed down this time... 512 00:44:53,540 --> 00:44:55,180 Messi's missed. 513 00:44:55,180 --> 00:44:57,180 With the crowd just waiting to roar. 514 00:44:57,180 --> 00:45:01,860 If you lose, it's like, how long is it going to take again 515 00:45:01,860 --> 00:45:03,900 to be in a World Cup final? So... 516 00:45:05,820 --> 00:45:08,140 ..that's why that day is, like... 517 00:45:11,140 --> 00:45:12,700 Shurrle. Working it in. 518 00:45:12,700 --> 00:45:14,460 Chance for Gotze! 519 00:45:14,460 --> 00:45:16,820 Mario Gotze scores for Germany! 520 00:45:21,700 --> 00:45:24,140 Germany are champions of the world. 521 00:45:33,940 --> 00:45:36,340 After the game was, like... 522 00:45:36,340 --> 00:45:37,700 It was terrible. 523 00:45:37,700 --> 00:45:40,820 We were all crying like babies because, you know, 524 00:45:40,820 --> 00:45:42,060 it was very close. 525 00:45:44,820 --> 00:45:46,060 Still hurting. 526 00:45:50,780 --> 00:45:53,420 There's the extraordinary image at the end of that game when Messi 527 00:45:53,420 --> 00:45:55,860 is presented with the Player of the Tournament award 528 00:45:55,860 --> 00:45:57,900 and he looks totally devastated. 529 00:45:57,900 --> 00:46:00,460 You know, he's trying to be polite, but his face is saying, 530 00:46:00,460 --> 00:46:01,940 I just want to get out of here. 531 00:46:05,060 --> 00:46:06,820 When you lost a World Cup final... 532 00:46:09,540 --> 00:46:12,060 ..you don't need to say anything. 533 00:46:16,780 --> 00:46:20,180 A few pictures of Leo looking at the World Cup. 534 00:46:23,860 --> 00:46:25,300 A tough one to take. 535 00:46:28,380 --> 00:46:30,700 You want to see the best player of the modern age 536 00:46:30,700 --> 00:46:33,420 having a great tournament in the greatest tournament. 537 00:46:38,740 --> 00:46:40,940 Shortly afterwards, the mood changed. 538 00:46:56,180 --> 00:47:00,820 There was this extraordinary demand from Argentina 539 00:47:00,820 --> 00:47:05,740 that because he performed so fantastically with Barcelona, 540 00:47:05,740 --> 00:47:10,180 he somehow had decided not to perform that well with Argentina. 541 00:47:11,220 --> 00:47:13,660 Although Messi still speaks with an Argentinian accent, 542 00:47:13,660 --> 00:47:16,460 he eats Argentinian food, although he watches Argentinian films, 543 00:47:16,460 --> 00:47:17,940 listens to Argentinian music, 544 00:47:17,940 --> 00:47:21,620 there's still a sense in Argentina he's a bit European. 545 00:47:21,620 --> 00:47:24,820 I remember being in Santa Fe and the bloke reading out the teams 546 00:47:24,820 --> 00:47:26,060 for the game said, 547 00:47:26,060 --> 00:47:29,300 wearing the ten, the greatest in the world, Lionel Messi - 548 00:47:29,300 --> 00:47:30,980 sort of half hearted applause - 549 00:47:30,980 --> 00:47:33,340 and wearing the 11, the player of the people, 550 00:47:33,340 --> 00:47:36,420 el jugador del pueblo, Carlos Tevez, and everybody goes berserk 551 00:47:36,420 --> 00:47:39,660 because Tevez was seen as being more truly Argentinian. 552 00:47:56,300 --> 00:47:59,180 There's no sense that his genius has been hard wrought. 553 00:47:59,180 --> 00:48:01,460 There's no sense of any kind of suffering. 554 00:48:01,460 --> 00:48:05,260 And I think there's a feeling, not just in Argentina, but that geniuses 555 00:48:05,260 --> 00:48:07,940 should somehow suffer for their greatness. 556 00:48:07,940 --> 00:48:10,860 And Maradona, that was front and centre, whereas Messi, 557 00:48:10,860 --> 00:48:13,020 and it's ridiculous to criticise somebody for this, 558 00:48:13,020 --> 00:48:15,620 it's just been season after season after season of relentless 559 00:48:15,620 --> 00:48:18,620 excellence, and particularly for somebody who's never played 560 00:48:18,620 --> 00:48:22,060 league football in Argentina, that creates that sense of distance. 561 00:48:37,740 --> 00:48:39,740 I think 2016 was the big change. 562 00:48:44,660 --> 00:48:47,740 The Copa America is the Euros of South America. 563 00:48:47,740 --> 00:48:50,260 To get to the final is very hard. There's no easy games. 564 00:48:50,260 --> 00:48:53,380 So, in 2015, Argentina would play Chile in the final. 565 00:48:53,380 --> 00:48:56,060 Drew 0-0, lost on penalties. 566 00:48:56,060 --> 00:48:58,820 Same thing happens in 2016 in the US, 567 00:48:58,820 --> 00:49:00,900 in the Copa America Centenario. 568 00:49:02,060 --> 00:49:03,860 It is Messi who misses the penalty. 569 00:49:05,940 --> 00:49:10,860 PORTUGUESE COMMENTARY 570 00:49:17,980 --> 00:49:20,780 We lost three finals, three years in a row. 571 00:49:20,780 --> 00:49:23,220 So, that's where the pressure started to build. 572 00:49:37,260 --> 00:49:42,700 He looked visibly like someone who just can't take it any more. 573 00:49:46,420 --> 00:49:49,260 That was a very difficult moment for us. 574 00:49:49,260 --> 00:49:52,940 That was the third final that we lost in a row. 575 00:49:52,940 --> 00:49:55,260 So, we were very, very sad. 576 00:50:01,100 --> 00:50:04,060 I cried that day. You know, it broke my heart, you know. 577 00:50:04,060 --> 00:50:07,020 You know, he burst into tears in the middle of the pitch. 578 00:50:07,020 --> 00:50:11,740 I said, you know, how can we, how can we come to this, you know? 579 00:50:11,740 --> 00:50:12,980 Here he comes. 580 00:50:44,100 --> 00:50:47,980 Very surprised, no, because our capitano, our leader... 581 00:50:50,740 --> 00:50:53,420 ..was going to leave the team, was very difficult. 582 00:50:58,500 --> 00:51:01,460 What that miss did was to humanise him. 583 00:51:01,460 --> 00:51:04,140 Any doubts people in Argentina had about how much he cared 584 00:51:04,140 --> 00:51:06,020 disappeared at that moment. 585 00:51:06,020 --> 00:51:09,300 His tears and his obvious anguish, that's when it changes. 586 00:51:09,300 --> 00:51:11,660 And suddenly there's this desperation of 587 00:51:11,660 --> 00:51:14,140 we've got to get Messi to winning something. 588 00:51:14,140 --> 00:51:15,580 People were writing odes, saying, 589 00:51:15,580 --> 00:51:18,220 "I love you just the way you are. I don't need a cup." 590 00:51:18,220 --> 00:51:21,940 On the underground, these messages, "Lionel, please come back." 591 00:51:21,940 --> 00:51:26,740 And everyone pleaded to the point that eventually the entire football 592 00:51:26,740 --> 00:51:32,020 association rebuilt itself, hired managers that would make sure 593 00:51:32,020 --> 00:51:34,900 he was comfortable and he returned. 594 00:51:34,900 --> 00:51:37,060 Our national colours mean a lot to us. 595 00:51:37,060 --> 00:51:42,380 He would not have wanted to stay in history like he gave up. 596 00:51:42,380 --> 00:51:44,140 And he's not a quitter. 597 00:51:49,060 --> 00:51:52,140 First time European champions... 598 00:51:52,140 --> 00:51:53,340 ..kings of Europe.. 599 00:51:54,340 --> 00:51:55,660 ..are Portugal. 600 00:52:00,460 --> 00:52:04,780 Messi didn't win it for Argentina while his nemesis, Ronaldo, 601 00:52:04,780 --> 00:52:07,940 wins the Euros and is in the top of the world. 602 00:52:07,940 --> 00:52:12,500 When everything calms down and sees that Ronaldo keeps succeeding, 603 00:52:12,500 --> 00:52:17,100 he cannot deny that that rivalry makes him better. 604 00:52:24,340 --> 00:52:26,900 Ronaldo, Messi, were actually in the same league, 605 00:52:26,900 --> 00:52:30,580 fighting for the same titles, including the individual ones. 606 00:52:39,900 --> 00:52:42,540 I think one of the Ballon d'Ors that Ronaldo won, 607 00:52:42,540 --> 00:52:45,140 something turned in his stomach and thought, 608 00:52:45,140 --> 00:52:46,940 it's going to be me next year. 609 00:53:04,300 --> 00:53:05,660 Just look at the stats. 610 00:53:05,660 --> 00:53:07,420 There'll be a couple of goals from Ronaldo, 611 00:53:07,420 --> 00:53:08,580 Messi will score three. 612 00:53:08,580 --> 00:53:10,260 They will be three from Messi, 613 00:53:10,260 --> 00:53:12,380 Ronaldo will score another hat-trick. 614 00:53:28,460 --> 00:53:30,940 As they become older and start having kids, 615 00:53:30,940 --> 00:53:33,100 one thing that happens is that they recognise 616 00:53:33,100 --> 00:53:34,780 is that their journey was very similar. 617 00:53:34,780 --> 00:53:37,380 Both of them had to leave home at 12, 13. 618 00:53:37,380 --> 00:53:40,620 Both of them had to beat a lot of obstacles. 619 00:53:40,620 --> 00:53:43,900 In the case of Ronaldo, bullying and jokes about his accent, 620 00:53:43,900 --> 00:53:48,020 about his skin, about what, his looks, and in the case of Messi, 621 00:53:48,020 --> 00:53:51,180 he had to battle his chronic shyness 622 00:53:51,180 --> 00:53:55,220 to actually have a little bit of a presence off the pitch. 623 00:53:55,220 --> 00:53:59,140 Now, there is no friendship, but what there is is an admission 624 00:53:59,140 --> 00:54:03,740 or recognition of admiration of one to another. 625 00:54:10,940 --> 00:54:12,300 Mbappe... 626 00:54:12,300 --> 00:54:14,180 Mbappe! 627 00:54:15,380 --> 00:54:19,820 It is France who've won through to the World Cup quarterfinals. 628 00:54:23,940 --> 00:54:26,500 How could it possibly be that player that good could go 629 00:54:26,500 --> 00:54:29,460 through his entire career and not win a senior trophy? 630 00:54:29,460 --> 00:54:31,780 You know, this is somebody who's given so much to the game, 631 00:54:31,780 --> 00:54:33,820 who's been so brilliant for so long, 632 00:54:33,820 --> 00:54:37,020 and you sort of feel football sort of owes him one. 633 00:54:55,860 --> 00:54:58,900 Suddenly we were back in Brazil, a few years back 634 00:54:58,900 --> 00:55:02,420 after the disappointment of the World Cup, and this was even nicer 635 00:55:02,420 --> 00:55:06,340 because at the Maracana it was not the Germans, Brazil. 636 00:55:06,340 --> 00:55:08,340 Like it was meant to happen, you know? 637 00:55:20,340 --> 00:55:25,020 Before, everyone expecting Messi to do everything, to get the ball, 638 00:55:25,020 --> 00:55:28,900 dribble four or five players and score into the top corner. 639 00:55:28,900 --> 00:55:33,260 And I think we understood, this young team, how to play for him. 640 00:55:50,620 --> 00:55:54,100 It was, like, guys, it was meant to be. 641 00:55:54,100 --> 00:55:55,860 We were supposed to play in Argentina. 642 00:55:55,860 --> 00:55:56,980 They change last minute. 643 00:55:56,980 --> 00:56:00,980 Back in Brazil. We've been 40 days away from our families. 644 00:56:00,980 --> 00:56:04,020 And he said something about me that obviously I will never forget. 645 00:56:04,020 --> 00:56:08,020 He said, "Emi saw his daughter born on FaceTime, you know. 646 00:56:08,020 --> 00:56:10,300 "He couldn't even give her a cuddle. 647 00:56:10,300 --> 00:56:12,380 "So, let's do it for him." 648 00:56:12,380 --> 00:56:15,460 I had butterflies on my tummy when he was saying that 649 00:56:15,460 --> 00:56:18,220 and he nearly made me cry just before the game started. 650 00:56:19,260 --> 00:56:23,500 Argentina lead, thanks to a moment of magic from Angel Di Maria! 651 00:56:40,580 --> 00:56:43,660 Everyone ran to Leo... 652 00:56:45,260 --> 00:56:46,500 ..to say, "We won it." 653 00:56:50,140 --> 00:56:53,460 Everybody were really happy for him. 654 00:56:56,260 --> 00:56:59,060 I hugged him so hard and said, "We did it." 655 00:56:59,060 --> 00:57:02,100 You know, I was crying. I'm a very emotional guy. 656 00:57:02,100 --> 00:57:04,260 I had to grab him in the air, you know, like, here, 657 00:57:04,260 --> 00:57:05,980 you know, come here. 658 00:57:05,980 --> 00:57:08,580 Like my little, like my boy, Santi, you know, like... 659 00:57:08,580 --> 00:57:10,620 I love the guy, man. 660 00:57:43,100 --> 00:57:46,220 He won everything - Ballon d'Or, Champions Leagues, 661 00:57:46,220 --> 00:57:48,860 and he hugged that cup like he was the baby. 662 00:57:48,860 --> 00:57:51,820 He left all the trophies outside to win this one. 663 00:58:11,780 --> 00:58:13,220 You've got to take it in 664 00:58:13,220 --> 00:58:16,140 before this guy leaves the pitch for the last time. 665 00:58:21,940 --> 00:58:23,580 No-one is like Leo Messi. 666 00:58:23,580 --> 00:58:26,020 It's impossible to arrive to that level. 667 00:58:26,020 --> 00:58:27,180 It's impossible. 668 00:58:33,940 --> 00:58:36,740 That's the legacy, because if he has done it, 669 00:58:36,740 --> 00:58:39,260 somebody else will do it at some point. 670 00:58:39,260 --> 00:58:40,820 It's possible. 671 00:58:40,820 --> 00:58:43,460 But I can tell you that right now, it feels impossible. 672 00:59:01,620 --> 00:59:04,460 I don't think we will ever see someone like him again. 673 00:59:04,460 --> 00:59:06,220 At least not in my time.