Lionel Messi turns 37 on June 24 and is currently focused with the Argentina national team, aiming to win the 2024 Copa América. However, he gave an interview to "Clank!" where he talked about several key moments in his football career and how he handles himself during and after matches.

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His Beginnings (Childhood): "People came to watch me. When I started playing, I was three or four years old. I wasn't aware of the World Cup or all the titles that were at stake. I just played because it was my hobby, I loved the ball. I loved football, like most Argentinians. I always tried to have fun."

"From a very young age, people always told me I was different, and they came to watch me. I didn't realize it until I grew older. God chose me, it was a gift He gave me. I took advantage of it and did everything possible to make the most of it," he mentioned.

Joining La Masia: "Moving from Newell’s to Barcelona was a huge change. The way of training, the club's facilities, the gear, were all different. They practiced a reduced work style, lots of possession... I wasn't into running much. Training in a different way helped me grow. They (Barcelona) chose me for the player I was, and I wasn't going to change. Football is completely different from everything else."

Playing on the Right with Rijkaard: "That was the only spot available on the team, and you have to adapt. In the youth teams, I played as an attacking midfielder. I had no choice but to play on the right. I didn’t understand the position much, and Rijkaard placed me there. I adapted, and at the beginning of my career, I was more individualistic. Later, I grew, improved aspects, and adapted to the winger position, but it was never really my position," the Argentine stated.

Guardiola: "His style has spread worldwide, in Bayern and now with City. At that time, Barcelona was the only club. I learned a lot from Pep. Managing matches through ball possession, and today, everything is tactical. Any team with a backline of four or five can complicate things. There used to be a lot more space."

First Talk with Guardiola: "When he arrived, we had already started training, and there was drama about whether I was leaving or not. It was about my participation in the Champions League. I was half-hearted in training with a long face because I wanted to play in the Beijing Olympics until we had a talk. He's smart and knew I wanted to play. He was transparent and understood me quickly. He told me to stay calm, that we’d qualify for the Champions League and that I’d play in the Olympics," Messi said.

Handling Defeat: "I don't like to relive or review defeats, but in the long run, it helps you grow. I tell myself things when I do something wrong. For example, in a play during the Qatar World Cup, I was furious because it was a loss far from the opponent's bench, a ball I lost because I didn't want to look for another option or move forward. I’m very self-critical during the match."

Birth of Thiago: "I manage it better now. Thiago's arrival changed a lot for me. I used to lose a game and stay shut in for two or three days without talking to anyone, thinking about what had happened. When Thiago arrived, everything changed. I’d come home, see him, and forget about what had happened."

Walking During Matches: "I observe the opponent's positioning, how they stand. We were always the protagonists at Barcelona, so I try to move away from the mark to start a play. I study how the opponent positions themselves when they attack."

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Return to the National Team in 2019: "It was very hard for me to return to the national team. They were all new guys, and I didn't know any of them personally. It's very hard for me to integrate into groups. Rodrigo de Paul helped me a lot, with his personality. When I met him, he reminded me a lot of Pocho Lavezzi, they were very similar. He approached me, we talked, and he helped me fit into the group much faster. I remember the first days and how we talked. It was a different and new situation for all of us."

Penalty Shootout Against France in Qatar 2022: "I was calm, I didn’t want to betray myself, and I focused on not making a mistake because of the importance of the penalty. I was confident in myself and scored it, just like against the Netherlands," Messi declared.