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Messi

Ahead of what is expected to be his World Cup farewell, this wide-reaching documentary seeks to provide a detailed understanding of the real Lionel Messi.

Ahead of what is expected to be his World Cup farewell, this wide-reaching documentary seeks to provide a detailed understanding of the real Lionel Messi.

He is one of the greatest players of all time, but in contrast with his awe-inspiring ability on the pitch, he is an enigmatic figure off it. With incredible footage of the Argentinean superstar as a child prodigy, this is Messi as you have never seen him before.

School friends describe how a painfully shy boy with a growth hormone deficiency would draw crowds to see him play from the age of nine, while former teammates Cesc Fabregas and Xavi tell behind-the-scenes tales of what Messi is like in the dressing room.

Ex-Argentina team-mates Pablo Zabaleta, Javier Mascherano and Hernan Crespo explain the more complex sides of Messi’s story. How is it that Argentina’s all-time top scorer has had to deal with spells of sustained criticism at home while the controversial figure of Diego Maradona is universally loved across the South American nation?

59 minutes

Last on

Fri 30 Dec 2022 21:00
BBC Three

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:00

    Damien Jurado

    Qachina

  • 00:13

    Tamba Trio

    Mas Que Nada

  • 00:20

    Chilly Gonzales

    Gogol

  • 00:24

    Dusty Springfield

    La Bamba

  • 00:25

    The Doors

    Roadhouse Blues (The Crystal Method Remix)

  • 00:37

    Modern Lovers

    Egyptian Reggae

  • 00:45

    Bălănescu Quartet

    Waltz

  • 00:54

    Bon Iver

    Brackett, WI

Credits

Producer Barry Murphy
Executive Producer Gabby Cook

Broadcasts

  • Sat 19 Nov 2022 22:55
    BBC One except Wales & Wales HD
  • Sat 19 Nov 2022 23:55
    BBC One Wales & Wales HD only
  • Fri 30 Dec 2022 21:00
    BBC Three

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