‘What an Idiot’: Lionel Messi Reveals One Regret He Still Struggles to Forget

Home Top Stories Politics Entertainment Football Lifestyle Sports Business Fashion No Result View All Result Home Top Stories Politics Entertainment Football Lifestyle Sports Business Fashion Home Sports ‘What an Idiot’: Lionel Messi Reveals One Regret He Still Struggles to Forget by Editor October 12, 2026 in Sports, Top Stories Reading Time: 2 mins read Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Whatsapp Argentina football icon Lionel Messi has opened up about one of his biggest personal regrets, admitting that he wishes he had learned English when he was younger.

The Inter Miami forward, who spent more than two decades at Barcelona before spells at Paris Saint-Germain and his move to Major League Soccer, said his failure to learn the language has sometimes prevented him from having meaningful conversations with influential personalities.

Messi, 39, acknowledged that he had opportunities to study English during his younger years but failed to take advantage of them.

“I regret many things. To not have learned English as a boy. I had the time to have at least studied English and I didn’t do it. I deeply regret it,” he said.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner explained that his inability to speak English had occasionally left him feeling embarrassed when he found himself in the company of remarkable people with whom he wanted to communicate.

“I experienced situations where I was with incredible and spectacular personalities to be able to talk and have a chat and you feel half ignorant,” Messi said.

Reflecting on those moments, the football superstar admitted that he often blamed himself for missing the opportunity to acquire the language when he was younger.

“I always thought: ‘What an idiot, how I wasted my time,’” he added.

Beyond sharing his personal regret, Messi said his experience had influenced the advice he gives his children about education and preparation for the future.

According to the Argentine captain, young people do not always appreciate the value of learning and acquiring useful skills until they become older and encounter situations in which those skills are necessary.

He said he now encourages his children to take their education seriously and make the most of the opportunities available to them.

“Today that’s what I tell my children, having a good education, to study and be prepared,” Messi said.

“I always tell my children to take advantage of it. They have a different situation to the one I had although I never lacked anything…”

Messi’s admission offers a glimpse into the personal lessons he has learned beyond football, highlighting how even one of the world’s most celebrated athletes can look back on missed opportunities with regret.

Despite his extraordinary achievements on the pitch, the Argentine legend believes that learning English earlier in life would have helped him communicate more easily and make better use of certain experiences outside the game.

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