Professional athletes can create rituals that for the outside world might be considered weird, but for the player, it’s vital to their success. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi developed a routine that might be why Argentina won the tournament in Qatar.
In an interview with Urbana Play 104.3 FM’s “Perros de la Calle” radio program, the Paris Saint-Germain forward revealed the ritual he developed with his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo.
Messi noted that before going to bed, he would talk with his wife, but there was one thing that the two didn’t touch in the nighttime conversations.
“Obviously, each one wanted their country to be champion first and as they were left out they went with Argentina because they wanted me to be world champion,” Messi told Urbana Play (h/t Mundo Deportivo).
“It was something I heard for a long time before it started too. Beyond that each one went with their country; the people wanted me to win it. I don’t think anything like this ever happened. All that energy made it happen in the end.”
The Argentine had long chased to lift the World Cup, but in his final attempt, he won the trophy that had eluded him his entire career and perhaps he can give credit to his wife.
Nonetheless, like Antonela, many were happy to see her husband reach the top of the mountain of football as Messi now truly is the GOAT.
