Roger Federer is Lionel Messi’s lucky charm
Months before the World Cup, Federer speaks about Messi with absolute respect and from the perspective of someone who also knew how to change his sport.
In the world of sport, it is usually easy to distinguish between fleeting brilliance and true greatness.
The difference becomes even clearer when a talent reveals itself early, when skill is described as something exceptional, almost to the point of confusing performance with art.
Roger Federer belongs to the same rare category as Lionel Andrés Messi. Both are figures who seem unreachable in terms of elegance, a privileged quality in any sport and one that defines how they are remembered.
Recognition is common among artists, and now, five months before the start of the World Cup, Federer has shared his best wishes for the Argentine captain.
“I wish him all the best for the World Cup. I’m happy he’s already won a World Cup and won’t have any pressure in the next one, although playing in a World Cup is always a lot of pressure. I’ll be following him,” the retired tennis player told ESPN when speaking about Messi.
It is not the first time that another sporting giant has recognised the Argentine star. In fact, whenever Messi is mentioned in interviews, the conclusion is usually the same: admiration that feels universal, something almost anyone can identify with, even from a distance.
Federer focused on Messi himself, not on how his 20 Grand Slam titles compare to Messi’s greatness, nor on whether they have ever interacted. He simply offered a personal and honest perspective.
“I don’t know Leo very well as a person, to be honest. It’s difficult to compare us; he did amazing things in football, and I’m a huge fan of his. How he dominated and changed the game is incredible,” he said, with clear admiration.
When one artist acknowledges another, praise stops being circumstantial and becomes a reflection of shared understanding. Federer did not speak through statistics or easy comparisons. He spoke from a place of respect that only someone who understands how to master a sport without betraying it can offer, someone who learned to control his temperament and turn it into a defining strength.
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In Federer’s quiet admiration, tennis and football meet in a harmonious and unexpected way, through a retired champion who admits he will be fully following what Messi’s Argentina does at the 2026 World Cup, making the dream his own.
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