Lionel Messi is one of the rare players, besides Cristiano Ronaldo, who has many nicknames that many people may not know.
Up to this point, there is no need to argue too much when affirming that Lionel Messi is one of the best players in football history. With his top performances and a huge collection of titles, Messi has left a great legacy for the football world, thereby deserving to enter the “temple of legends” in the history of the king sport.
In addition to his performances on the field, Messi also impresses with his own collection of nicknames. In particular, these nicknames have partly reflected the superstar’s playing style throughout his career.
The Pulga
Messi’s nicknames “La Pulga” (The Flea) or “La Pulga Atomica” (The Atomic Flea) come from his family and acquaintances as a child.
Despite being only 1m70 tall, Messi always outshines his opponents with his unmatched ball control and speed. Like a small but elusive flea, Messi slips through defenses with ease, making it difficult for defenders to stop him. This nickname reflects not only his appearance but also his skill and cunning in the game.
The nickname El Pulga refers to Messi’s skillful dribbling ability. Photo: Getty
GOAT
Lionel Messi’s nickname “GOAT” stands for “Greatest of All Time”. This nickname comes from Messi constantly breaking records, winning a series of individual and collective titles in his career. With excellent technique, incredible scoring and assisting ability, Messi has conquered fans around the world.
“GOAT” was initially used by the media and fans to compare Messi with previous football legends, but gradually became an official nickname, affirming his special position in football history.
Messi has won most of the major and minor titles in his career. Photo: Getty
The Beast
The nickname The Beast was given to Messi by Rodrigo De Paul when the duo and Argentina defeated Croatia in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
After the match, De Paul shared: “We are lucky to have The Beast (Messi). We play for our country, but for us, Leo is the captain, the leader of the team. Lionel Messi is like a brother and I will always stand up for him.
Very few people know what Messi has done to stay at the top, and I am really happy for him. After all he has been through, I hope Messi will be the one to enjoy the most of it. He deserves it.”
De Paul nicknamed Messi The Beast. Photo: Getty
Mad weasel
The nickname “Mad Weasel” was given to the former Barca star by Papu Gomez, Messi’s teammate in the Argentina national team. Specifically, after the friendly match between Argentina and Honduras in September 2022, Papu Gomez shared on social media: ” Messi is like a weasel, a crazy weasel”. This nickname refers to the speed and cunning in Messi’s playing style.
Papu Gomez nicknamed Messi “Mad Weasel”. Photo: Getty
Above are notable nicknames about Messi given to this superstar by his family, teammates and experts, and each nickname partly shows the class of this superstar in his career full of achievements.
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