Lionel Messi and Novak Djokovic are athletes with a lot in common. They both have been at the top of their respective sports, provided fans with plenty of unforgettable moments over the years and have earned a host of individual awards as a result.
Messi’s level is seen by many as the greatest football player of all time, and tennis star Djokovic has a tremendous amount of respect for the once-in-a-generation talent. Messi’s stock increased even further in Paris as he was awarded with an eighth men’s Ballon d’Or crown, the prestigious individual award given each year to the best player in the world
Ahead of the ceremony, the pair shared a warm embrace as they briefly crossed paths on the red carpet. It was clear both were happy to see one another, and that’s no surprise given Djokovic has publicly expressed his admiration for Messi in the past.
The pair met shortly after Messi joined Inter Miami last summer, and Djokovic told ESPN at the time: “It’s the second time we met with each other. We talked for about 15 minutes about everything. I would like to meet him and talk about everything again. Messi is phenomenal. He’s a huge champion. I have huge respect for him.”
While Djokovic is not the only person to hold Messi in high regard, this is not the first time he has shown his respect for Messi. During a world tennis match last year, he spoke about Messi’s impact beyond the soccer field.
Djokovic said: “Him being humble, a down-to-earth guy, not taken away by success. All these years is something I feel like serves as a great example to all the children that look up to him. They all want to be like him.”
Even though the two play completely different sports, Djokovic knows what it takes to be the best in the world and inspire others. Djokovic’s career accolades include 96 ATP tour event wins. He is also the only player to hold all four slam singles titles at the same time.
Like the 36-year-old star, Messi’s accomplishments go for pages and span countries worldwide. However, there are more than just eras of dominance that these two share.
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They were born only a few months apart and have watched the others rise to success. That has continued to be the case as they still dazzle crowds on a weekly basis even as the years add up.
Additionally, Djokovic’s comments show how much of an impact Messi has made. He has inspired greatness for years and created a legacy that will never be forgotten. That has, at least to some degree, impacted Djokovic, who will go down as one of the best players in tennis history.
As the career of these two winds down, tennis fans and football fans will have to say goodbye to two men who have defied all expectations and rewritten the record books. Regardless of where Messi is playing, he will always have a fan in Djokovic, who inspired greatness in his own way.
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