Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has revealed his unfulfilled dream involving basketball legend Michael Jordan.
Michael is regarded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest basketball icons who ever lived. The Brooklyn-born American sports icon rose to global prominence in 1980 and enjoyed his reign until 1990 as he significantly turned basketball from an exclusive American sport to a global sport.
In the NBA, Michael Jordan is proclaimed as “the greatest basketball player of all time.”
The would-be basketball legend went to Emsley A.Laney High School in North Carolina. From 1981 to 1984, he attended North Carolina College before he was picked in the NBA 1984 draft as 3rd overall by the Chicago Red Bulls.
Jordan would play as a shooting guard/small forward for Chicago Red Bulls. He donned Jersey no. 23, 12, and 45 and had a career which spanned 19 years from 1984 to 2003, winning all major honours and individual trophies in the sport. The 61-year-old is one of the most decorated players in the sport.
For context purposes, Lionel Messi and Michael Jordan are legendary athletes in their respective sports. In football, Messi holds the esteem position as the best player to have graced football. Jordan commands the same aura in basketball. While the duo reserves the exclusive privileges they have enjoyed from their iconic statues and heroic careers, Messi seems to hold the American in high esteem.
Speaking to ESPN Argentina, Messi said his iconic status in sport has allowed him to meet with top personalities around the world but it is only one man – Michael Jordan – that he wants to meet.
“I’ve been fortunate to meet many important and well-known people, especially in the world of sports. But continuing in that realm, I would love to have a photo with Jordan and meet him,” Messi stated.
Messi’s comment buttresses his innate humble disposition despite taking his career to the stars.
Meanwhile, the Argentine’s dream of meeting one of the greatest sports athletes in the world could be realized as he is plying his trade in the geographical location of Jordan. The record-extending eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is playing for MLS outfit Inter Miami where he has transformed the face of the game in the USA.
The Barcelona legend’s unveiling by Inter Miami was one of the most watched sports events with viewers tallying up to billions. Messi’s presence in Inter Miami matches also drew some top celebrities from other cultural divides close to the game with the likes of Kim Kardashian, Rick Ross, and other top cultural icons drawn into stadiums to watch his matches.
Global viewership and audience for the sports in US also increased sporadically following Messi’s joining Inter Miami. Despite his surging global influence, Messi still considers himself a miles away from Michael Jordan and is hopeful of taking a photo with the basketball icon one day.
