It seems impolite to keep two of the greatest football players in history apart when you have them on your roster. Adidas has made arrangements for Lionel Messi to spend time with Zinedine Zidane in order to do that.
Although Real Madrid and Barcelona are on different sides of the eternal divide, their brand affinity will always bind them together.
As the only two players in football history to have scored goals and won Man of the Match in both the UEFA Champions League and the World Cup finals, Zinedine Zidane and Lionel Messi are unquestionably two of the best players to have ever played the game.
The only unfortunate part is that they were never able to play together, which would have been an amazing sight. Despite this, Adidas gathered its two stars for an open discussion in Miami, where the highest level of respect was evident.
What did the two GOATs discuss?
Zidane to Messi: “You see things before anyone else. I was one second ahead of the rest, you are three seconds ahead of the rest. And therefore, for me, that’s what makes you different from the rest of the players.”
The two superstars unwind and talk about subjects that are important to them, such as football and family, bringing up memorable moments like winning a World Cup, which only a select few athletes can claim to have experienced.
Throughout their careers, both players came to be associated with the number 10, and in this discussion, they explore the meaning of the famous number 10, which is a representation of beauty and individuality in the football world.
At one point, both legends are asked to use three words to describe the other. ‘Zizou’ did not hesitate: “It’s just one word: ‘Magic’. Because in the end, what I mean is Leoand I are not together every day. So today is an important day for me because I can tell him how much I admire him. All the people who like football and these people are different. And I think it’s magic, pure magic. Magic in the sense. Before receiving the ball, he already knew what needed to be done. And especially for me, as someone who understands football. Watching you on the field, I almost knew what you were going to do, you know? It was like a connection. But when I see him doing what he does, I just go like, ‘That’s it’.”
Messi was similarly full of praise for his opposite number. “I’m not saying this because he is here, I’ve said it several times before,” he began. “I think he is one of the greatest players in history. I’ve always admired and liked him a lot. I followed him a lot in Madrid and he made me suffer because I was from Barcelona. I remember those times in Madrid, the ‘Galacticos’ the Euros you won. He’s always been a different player: elegant, artistic, magic – he had it all.
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“I have a lot of memories of him, I remember the goal against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League final, the goal he scored with his left leg, the goals he scored at the World Cup, the typical ‘roulette move’. There’s a play in Valencia where you end up finishing with your left, these are the things that those of us who love football enjoyed. I enjoyed it a lot even though it was difficult for me as a Barcelona fan!”
As the interview came to an end, Messi passed along his 2022 World Cup shirt, and Zidane handed him his final-ever international shirt. An appropriate conclusion to a powerful gathering.
