• Golden Ball: the eternal gold of Leo Messi
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The Argentine Leo Messi acknowledged that when the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo matched his record of five Golden Balls, it "hurt a little", although he understands why he did not take that prize from 2015 until Monday, he confesses in an interview with France Football magazine.

"When Cristiano tied me it hurt a little. I was no longer alone at the top. But it was logical," said the Barcelona player, who blamed his failure, and the success of the Portuguese, who won the Champions League several times . "I understood why he did not win. As a team we had not reached our main goal, which was the Champions League, which gives you more options to win the Golden Ball. When Cristiano got it it was because he did great seasons (...) It was deserved, I didn't have much to do, it wasn't any injustice, "he said.

Messi did not want to venture if he is the best footballer in history, since "there have been great players in other times, and it is very difficult to compare," although he acknowledged that the mere fact of being considered among the best is something that exceeds his expectations . La Pulga did predict that his duel with Ronaldo "will continue until the end of our respective careers, as it has been since the beginning . "

He also cleared any doubt about his continuity at FC Barcelona: "I arrived at an exceptional club with 13 years that is the best in the world for me. I have found everything I needed here. I have never felt the need to leave. It is the perfect place for me, for my career and for my family "Messi recalled the moment in which five years ago, due to his problems with the Treasury, he decided to leave Spain" not for soccer but personal reasons ", but the support he received" from Barcelona and the club "made him give up that intention, despite receiving" proposals all the time ".

The collapse of Rome

He also admitted that he still wonders what happened to his team in the collapse of the Champions League semifinals against Liverpool last season: " We knew what could happen to us because it had happened in Rome (the previous year) and we returned to happen again . "

In the interview, Messi defined himself "more as a game creator than as a scorer", and said that with the passage of time, even more after the departure of Xavi and Iniesta, he tries to lower more for the ball to build the play , still having the goal in the head. " I wouldn't change anything about my career. I won everything with Barça. Of course I would love to win something with Argentina. It was and still is a dream . But well, it's destiny, what God has given me. I can't do anything," confessed the Argentine, who still does not feel "the weight of 32 years" or dare to date his withdrawal.

Messi recognized in France Football the capital importance of his family in his life, to whom he can show himself as he is. "Since Thiago (his eldest son) was born, I have changed. Before, I could spend days without talking to anyone when things were not going well. Thiago's arrival changed everything, " he said.

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