Novak Djokovic asks Messi about handling pressure. The Argentine star’s answer is golden

A conversation between two great athletes always brings great moments. That’s exactly what happened on Saturday during the Fanatics Fest event in Manhattan, when Novak Djokovic decided to interview Lionel Messi.

Djokovic decided to ask a simple question that he has encountered in countless press conferences throughout his illustrious career. How does Messi handle the pressure?

“How did you learn to block pressure and stay true to your style of play?” Djokovic asked.

The response from Messi showed how the Argentine star has stayed true to himself since the early days of his career. The 39-year-old said he always saw the pressure as something natural and just focused on playing and enjoying the sport.

Messi said he has learned to accept that in sports it is not always possible to win.

“I never thought too much about the pressure. I always saw it as something natural: to go out and play, enjoy and compete. We are highly competitive and always want to win, but we also understand that it is a sport, that the opponent also plays and that winning is not always possible,” he explained.

‘YOU WILL LOSE MORE THAN YOU WIN’

Messi went on to learn that in sports, losses tend to outweigh wins more often, and accepting this fact has helped him a lot in dealing with pressure.

“I learned over time that you lose a lot more than you win. An understanding that helped me grow as a person and as a player,” Messi said.

She also saw the event Messi hangs out with American football legend Tom Brady and NBA icon Kevin Durant, among others. Messi then shared an iconic selfie with Djokovic, Brady and Durant to close out an unforgettable event for fans.

Messi will now be in action when Argentina take on Spain in the 2026 World Cup final in New York on Sunday 19 July.

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Published on:

18 Jul 2026 14:15 IST