Messi reveals the most famous person in his contacts, what he secretly watches with Antonela, his social media fears and more

In a refreshingly candid interview with Nico Occhiato, Lionel Messi pulled back the curtain on life beyond the stadium. The Argentine legend shared why he avoids giving advice (before giving brilliant advice anyway), revealed his anxiety about unfollowing people on social media, explained how he deals with constant fake news and fabricated quotes, dropped the name of his most famous phone contact, and confessed what TV series he's been binging with wife Antonela. Spoiler: even the GOAT just wants to watch telenovelas in peace.

Here's the paradox: Messi doesn't like giving advice, yet delivers some of the most powerful wisdom you'll hear. "I think everyone has to live their own experiences and their own life," he insists. But then? He drops this gem: never give up, always keep trying.

"That's what life is about in the end... Getting knocked down, getting back up and trying again."

And if it still doesn't work out? At least you won't lie awake wondering what if. "You're left with the feeling that you did everything possible to try to achieve your dreams, and not with the thought that you could have done more."

This isn't motivational poster talk. This is a man who lost three consecutive Copa América finals before finally conquering that mountain. Who waited until his fifth World Cup to lift the trophy that defined his legacy. Messi doesn't theorize about resilience—he's lived it in front of billions.

Welcome to 2025, where even Messi can't unfollow someone on Instagram without creating international headlines.

"Every little thing becomes a big deal nowadays! If you follow someone, if you don't, if you like something..." He pauses, clearly exasperated. "Sometimes I'd like to stop following someone and I think, 'If I unfollow, it'll become a whole story!'"

Picture that for a moment. You're Lionel Messi. You want to clean up your social media feed. But you can't, because tomorrow there'll be twenty articles analyzing why you unfollowed your childhood friend's cousin's bakery account.

His solution? Strategic paranoia about some things, deliberate ignorance about others. "Otherwise I'd go crazy... You can't live thinking about every tiny thing you do."

But here's what really bothers him: "I don't like appearing in the news or being talked about if it's not for football." In an era where celebrity gossip generates more clicks than match reports, that's a losing battle—and he knows it.

Then there's the misinformation industrial complex churning out "Messi said this" headlines about things he never said, stories about incidents that never happened, controversies manufactured from thin air.

"There are so many things that are said that have nothing to do with reality," Messi explains with the weariness of someone who's fought this battle for two decades. "A lot of headlines: that I supposedly said this, that something happened, and nothing like that happened."

His strategy? Selective engagement. "As long as it's not something really serious, I let it go." Because what's the alternative? Spend every day issuing denials? Hire a full-time fact-checking team to follow you around?

"I don't like seeing my name everywhere or people talking about me if it's not for football." Yet his name is everywhere, attached to words he never spoke and drama he never created. The irony isn't lost on him.

When asked about the most famous person in his contacts, Messi actually has to think about it. "I have a lot of contacts, but I'm not sure who the 'most famous' is..."

Then he remembers: "But I've spoken with Bad Bunny."

The Puerto Rican superstar and the Argentine legend connected while filming commercials together. "We exchanged a few messages. He's a phenomenon," Messi says, with genuine admiration. It's one of those rare celebrity friendships that actually makes sense—two global icons from different worlds, both at the absolute peak of their crafts, just... texting occasionally.

Forget the awards for a moment. Forget the endless goals and titles. What really makes Lionel Messi feel human is something beautifully simple. He and Antonela love sitting down and watching series together.

“We watch a lot of series now… we watch everything, but we recently finished Envidiosa. It was very good,” he said with a smile.

There it is. The greatest player many believe the game has ever seen, curled up on the couch with his wife, fully invested in a storyline like anyone else. No spotlight. No pressure. Just a husband and wife deciding what to watch next.

Moments like this remind you that behind the legend there is still a normal man who laughs, debates what to stream, and enjoys an evening at home. And yes, there is a lot more from this interview, and we will explore it all soon. Stay tuned.