Lionel Messi's dressing room behaviour left former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Achraf Hakimi surprised, as the Morocco captain described the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner as 'simple and quiet' despite his legendary status. The revelation comes ahead of England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina on Wednesday in Atlanta, where Messi, now 39, aims to lead his side to a second consecutive World Cup final.
Hakimi's Surprise at Messi's Humility
Speaking to French newspaper L'Equipe in 2021 shortly after Messi's move to PSG, Hakimi expressed his astonishment at the Argentine's down-to-earth nature. 'I was surprised by the way he behaved, he is simple, quiet,' Hakimi said. The Moroccan international, who played alongside Messi at PSG, noted that building a technical relationship with the forward was easy: 'I give him the ball, I run and he will put it where it belongs!'
Hakimi also revealed his initial disbelief at Messi leaving Barcelona: 'For Messi to leave Barca, like everyone else, I didn't expect it. And when I heard you were coming here, what can I say? A dream for me!' He added that playing with Messi would help him progress: 'I will pay attention to how he trains, how he plays.'
England's Challenge Against Argentina
England, managed by Thomas Tuchel, will face Lionel Scaloni's Argentina in the semi-final, with the winner advancing to the World Cup final. The Three Lions have already eliminated one elite attacking threat in Norway's Erling Haaland, but stopping Messi presents a different challenge. Despite his age, Messi is a Golden Boot contender with eight goals in the tournament, while England's Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham each have six.
England are seeking their first World Cup final appearance since 1966, when they won the tournament on home soil. Messi, meanwhile, is two games away from becoming a back-to-back world champion, having led Argentina to the title in 2022.
Messi's On-Field Brilliance
Hakimi contrasted Messi's off-field humility with his on-field impact: 'He is unsuspecting in his movements but comes alive in key moments for maximum effect.' The Argentine's ability to decide games has been evident throughout the tournament, and England will need to limit his influence to progress.
The match is set to be broadcast on Sky Sports, with the winner facing either France or Brazil in the final.
