Giannis Antetokounmpo says Lionel Messi could be among the greatest athletes | OneFootball

Miami Heat newcomer Giannis Antetokounmpo said Lionel Messi could be among the greatest athletes of all time, speaking at his unveiling on Thursday.

As reported by L'Équipe, the Greek praised Messi's career and said the Argentine has shown a path towards perfection. He had watched from the stands in Atlanta as Argentina beat England 2-1 in a semi-final decided late on.

Messi is the World Cup's top scorer with 8 and has led Argentina to a second successive final. He will contest Sunday's final at 39.

Antetokounmpo added that seeing Messi at this level inspires him to look after his body and keep doing what is right for the team.

The 31-year-old joined South Florida this summer. He is a two-time NBA MVP and was crowned champion in 2021 with the Bucks, and now shares a city with Messi, who moved in 2023 to play for Inter Miami.

He also noted the level of respect Messi commands from his team-mates, saying he hopes to achieve something similar over the course of his own career.

Source: L'Équipe