What is Lionel Messi Religion? This is one of the numerous questions football fans ask about the footballer who some believe to be the greatest footballer player of all time especially after he won the Qatar FIFA World Cup in 2022. What Lionel Messi religion is, is birthed out of the curiosity of people to know more about the record seven-time Ballon D’or winner.
In this post, we shall tell you what we know as regards Lionel Messi’s religion and other aspect about his life which you might not be aware of even though you might have been watching him for long.
Lionel Messi Religion
Lionel Messi is a Christian and he is a devout Roman Catholic but he rarely speaks about his faith in public or show any sign of being a Christian unlike former Brazilian football star Ricardo Kaka who often write “I belong to Jesus” underneath his jerseys. The Brazilian playmaker was fond of displaying the insignia whenever he scores.
Messi on the other hand is very different. The former Barcelona forward usually points his hands towards heaven in remembrance of his grandmother who died days before his eleventh birthday. His mother was a great influence on him and her death took a toll on him. One can say the death of Messi’s grandmother influenced him to become a devout Roman Catholic Christian.
Lionel Messi Religion and Football Talent
The 36-year-old is without a doubt one of the greatest footballers of all time and he attributes his talent to God. Even though Lionel Messi does not speak expressly about his Christian faith all the time, he acknowledges God for blessing with the talent. He gave thanks to God after he won the world cup in Qatar in 2022: ““The truth is that I thank God for giving me everything,” he said. “He’s given me everything.”
He also made similar comment after he completed his move to PSG in the 2021/2022 football season: ““It was God who made me play like this,” he said following his move from Barcelona to Paris St Germain (PSG) last year. “Obviously he (God) gave me that gift, I have no doubt about that. He chose me and, obviously, I then did everything possible to try to improve myself and achieve success. But without his help, I would not have gotten anywhere.”
Lionel Messi Christian Tattoo
Lionel Messi religion is Christianity and the he has a tattoo of Jesus with the crown of thorns on his right arm which was on full display when he won the Copa America in 2021. It is no surprise that Messi is a Christian. He comes from a region of the world – South America populated by Christians.
As per data from the Pew Research Center, approximately 83.43% of the populace in South America identifies as Christian. However, less than half of these individuals can be classified as devout followers.
Catholicism holds a significant presence in numerous South American nations, standing as the predominant Christian denomination. In countries such as Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, and Argentina, over three-quarters of the population professes Catholicism. Historically, during the colonial period, Catholicism was the sole sanctioned religion, leading to the abandonment of indigenous beliefs. Nonetheless, in countries like Bolivia and Peru, where indigenous populations are prominent, a synthesis of indigenous spirituality and Catholicism has persisted since colonial times. This blending of beliefs has resulted in a unique amalgamation of traditions. Moreover, in countries like Brazil and Colombia, Catholicism intertwined with specific African rituals due to historical influences.
Lionel Messi Religion and Pre-game Rituals
While some players touch the grass, kiss their hands and raise their up to the sky while entering the pitch, some enter the pitch backwards and others others play music in the dressing room before coming onto the pitch. Lionel Messi doesn’t have any pre-match ritual whatsoever.
According to Messi: “
“Before a game it’s similar to how I am at training. I don’t have any ritual. I just put on whatever item of clothing is nearest to me,” he declared. “I’m not the sort of person who goes around screaming and shouting before a game either. I prefer to remain calm, with my own thoughts, and think of some situations that I’m likely to face in the game,” the Inter Miami star told Four Four Two magazine, via Eurosport in 2015.
