FOOTBALL
Speaking to France Football after his Ballon D’Or award, Leo Messi stressed the importance of collective prizes: “the emotions are stronger than for individual awards”
Leo Messi is a collector of titles and awards, but insists that the team successes are stronger than individual awards: “when I close my eyes and think about my career, the first thing I think of is the titles I’ve won with my teammates”.
“I’ll just enjoy this before I think about another Ballon D’Or” France Football writer Vincent Machenau wanted to know what Messi felt about the chances of a fifth Ballon D’Or and the Argentinean replied: “it’s not an obsession. For me, the team titles are the most important. The things I’ll always remember are the big finals – my goal in Rome and the happiness we all felt was incredible”. Acceptance speech Messi gives clear and precise answers in his interviews, but he admitted he’d maybe spoken a little too much in his acceptance speech for this latest Ballon D’Or: “I’m sorry about that. I was very nervous and I didn’t want to forget to mention anybody – especially Tito and Abi. It’s always the same for me – I get emotional and I forget what I was going to say. Every time I win something the emotions are different, but they are always very strong”. [+] FIFA PILOTA D'OR 2012
“I’ll just enjoy this before I think about another Ballon D’Or”, added Messi, who explained: “I’ll not score 91 goals every season. I always work hard to improve and I’ll not be distracted from my objectives”.
Messi also referred to PSG, who are aiming to get to the very top of the European game: “they are a dangerous rival”, though the game against Valencia in the next round of the Champions League: “won’t be easy”. 