"I am aware of my age, but I hope to continue for many years"

Leo Messi's speech was short but sweet. First, after receiving his sixth Ballon d'Or, the Argentine was grateful "to journalists," to his "fellow Barca teammates" and "to the national team".

"Ten years ago, I received my first Ballon d'Or in Paris, I remember I came with my two brothers, I was 22-years-old and it was unthinkable to live what I was living. Now I have just received my sixth, at a very different time, I am with my wife and my sons," Messi pointed out, speaking about his story throughout the years... and now he is 32-years-old.

"In all this time I never stopped dreaming, wanting to keep improving day by day. I hope that I have many years left. I am aware of how old I am and that retirement is near, but I have several more years left although everything happens very quickly," he said.

"I want to continue enjoying football, with my family and my teammates," the Barcelona star commented.

After a brief pause, Messi was able to place his Ballon d'Or trophy with the other five and continued with his speech: "I don't know what's left for me to live on a personal level. On a sporting level, my aim is to better myself every year, work to keep improving, beyond the individual awards that although they are a very nice prize are always secondary."

"I try to prepare myself to stop everything. Sometimes I can and other times I can't, but the important thing is to try it and enjoy it whilst I can," Messi finished in the Teathre du Chatelet in Paris.

 

December 2, 2019