Giannis Antetokounmpo praises Lionel Messi ahead of World Cup final

NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who recently joined the Miami Heat, publicly praised Lionel Messi as one of the greatest athletes of all time. Antetokounmpo expressed admiration for Messi's discipline and dedication while attending the World Cup semi-final in Atlanta, where Argentina defeated England 2-1. The Greek athlete, a two-time NBA MVP and 2021 champion, cited Messi as a source of professional inspiration. Antetokounmpo specifically noted the respect Messi commands from his teammates and expressed a desire to achieve similar recognition during his own career. Messi is preparing to lead Argentina in the upcoming World Cup final at the age of 39. Argentina seeks to secure a second consecutive world title in this match. Antetokounmpo noted that the path to athletic excellence, as demonstrated by the Argentine, requires constant focus and total commitment.