After receiving the Golden Shoe for his record-breaking goal tally for the 2011-2012 season, FC Barcelona striker Lionel Messi gives an interview to La Marca in which he discusseseverything from his early years playing on a neighborhood team in Rosario, Argentina, to the Barcelona youth and senior teams, to his newborn son, Thiago.
Among otherthings, Messi revealed that his role model growing up was former Argentina international Pablo Aimar (who currently plays for SL Benfica in Portugal), that he never had any problemswith his height, and that Tito Vilanova, who coached him at youth level and is now head coach of the Barca senior team, is still the same person he always was and that theirrelationship is good, too.
When asked if he is a less “selfish player” player now than he was in prior seasons (Messi is currently tied for second in La Liga for assists inaddition to leading the league in goals scored), the Argentine said, “I’ve never considered myself as a selfish player although there have been people who have thought so.” Messi also saidthat he does not try to compete with former greats like Pele and Diego Maradona. “I try to improve every day,” he said, adding thatit’s “something amazing and really nice” to be compared to those two.
Lastly, when asked if he wants his son to be a soccer player, he responded, “He should be whathe wants to be. When he grows up he’ll work out what he wants and whatever he chooses will be fine with me, with his Mom and with everyone.”