When we talk about football Lionel Messi is one of those names that instantly pop up in our minds. The Argentine superstar is the finest soccer player to ever step foot on a field. The epitome of athletic ability, recounting all of his accomplishments would take all day, and learning how he did it would take a lifetime.
As a player, Messi has evolved differently. As the seasons went on, he adjusted to various situations and shifting demands, continuously reinventing himself and his place on the squad. Giving his team the best possible chance to win every game and every trophy appears to have been the ultimate goal of the Argentine star.
After spending many years in Barcelona, Messi moved to the French club PSG in 2021. There must be an issue with language, right?
Although he is a native speaker of both Spanish and Catalan, let’s see how many other languages the forward is proficient in.
What Languages does Lionel Messi speak?
Well, if you are a Messi fan, you might already know the answer to this question. Argentina’s Rosario is where Lionel Messi was born. His native tongue was Spanish, as it is the official language of Argentina and a few other South American nations.
The Argentines found it quite convenient to relocate to a place where language barriers did not exist. Barcelona served as the superstar’s home for more than 20 years. He thus did not need to learn any additional languages. Messi has always spoken Spanish in interviews on TV, press conferences following games and interactions with fans.
Contrary to Cristiano Ronaldo, who can respond to questions in English, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, Messi has consistently used a single language in front of the cameras. His Catalan also received some serious brushing up, as Barcelona is a Catalan-speaking city.
Is Catalan just like Spanish?
For those who don’t know, Barcelona is a part of Catalonia, a part of Spain that shares a border with France and Andorra. Spanish is not completely comparable to Catalan, which is the primary language in the region. Some stats suggest that more than 9 million people speak Catalan. Yes, there are many similarities between the languages, but Catalan is neither French nor Spanish.
Messi can communicate and understand Catalan well because he has lived in Catalonia since he was 13 and played with the locals in Barcelona. Having family in the Catalonia region allowed Lionel to become fluent in Catalan at a young age, almost on par with his native Spanish. It was also observed that Messi and many of Barcelona’s team members used to speak Catalan during the practice sessions, yet they never did so while giving interviews to the media.
How good is Messi at speaking English?
One of the greatest of all time, Lionel Messi, has been the subject of rumors in recent years regarding his ability to speak English. The Argentine superstar has previously said that he does not need to learn English because he can communicate with his teammates, and most of them speak Spanish. However, Messi at least has a basic understanding of the English language given his international prominence. He also spent most of his career in Barcelona which has a huge international fan base.
Messi frequently appeared in public but didn’t seem to enjoy speaking English. His Ballon d’Or press conferences and responses are almost exclusively in Spanish. In one of his interviews, the star told everyone the reason for not speaking English. Messi occasionally needed assistance from other people to understand the questions if they were in English.
Even his wife Antonella Roccuzzo, who can speak and understand English, occasionally assisted him. In some instances, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is quite fluent in the language assisted his counterpart in understanding the questions. So, it would be safe to say that Messi cannot speak English.
Does Messi speak French?
Messi signed a contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2021, but he is still unable to communicate in the language. According to rumors, Messi and his wife started taking French classes before moving to PSG. As he is always under the spotlight, the news of him learning French went viral, and everyone fixed their eyes on the Argentine superstar. Despite this, he is still unable to speak French. Given that Messi is only 34 years old, it is reasonable to assume that he could play at the highest level for a few more years. He may well do so in France, where his proficiency in the language will improve the longer he stays there.
What language does Lionel Messi speak in his new club PSG?
As he can’t speak French, you must be wondering how he communicates in PSG. According to many sources, Messi speaks Spanish in the club. Messi has received assistance from several Spanish-speaking players during his time at Paris Saint-Germain, including Kylian Mbappé.
The most widely used languages at Paris Saint-Germain are Spanish, Portuguese, English, and on occasion even Italian. It is assumed that Neymar, Angel Di Maria, and Keylor Navas are not native French speakers.
Contrary to what people might think, Ousmane Dembele is a fluent Spanish speaker. Kylian Mbappe is a natural at picking up new languages; he is fluent in French and Spanish. One of the languages used is English as well.
Conclusion
Overall, it appears that Lionel Messi has put much more effort into honing his soccer skills than he has into learning other languages.
But who can blame him? Considering that most of his career has been spent in a nation where his native language is spoken, it is quite understandable. His proficiency in Catalonian is enough evidence that he has the potential to learn other languages, but he chose not to do so. Just be grateful that his soccer voice is still as powerful as ever, regardless of the language he uses.
