[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/rafa-on-netflix-magic-on-the-pitch-inside-lionel-messis-record-breaking-world-cup-routine\/#NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/rafa-on-netflix-magic-on-the-pitch-inside-lionel-messis-record-breaking-world-cup-routine\/","headline":"Rafa on Netflix, Magic on the Pitch: Inside Lionel Messi\u2019s Record-Breaking World Cup Routine","name":"Rafa on Netflix, Magic on the Pitch: Inside Lionel Messi\u2019s Record-Breaking World Cup Routine","description":"Lionel Messi said he has been watching Rafael Nadal’s Netflix documentary (Reuters Photos) KANSAS CITY : What does a man who has conquered every summit in world football do on the eve of a historic, record-breaking sixth FIFA World Cup campaign? If you are Lionel Messi, you don\u2019t spend the night obsessively reviewing tactical data ... Read more<\/a>","datePublished":"2026-06-17","dateModified":"2026-06-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/author\/abhikk102004\/#Person","name":"ABHI KK","url":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/author\/abhikk102004\/","identifier":1,"description":"UP24Hindi.in<\/a> \r\n\r\n\r\nWebsite: https:\/\/up24hindi.in<\/a>\r\n\r\nRole: Website Admin \/ Editor\r\n\r\nSource: https:\/\/up24hindi.in<\/a>\r\nArticle link: https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/about-me<\/a>\/","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/aaf62ce68d0959418e43c997fb078e5b.jpg?ver=1781848000","url":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/aaf62ce68d0959418e43c997fb078e5b.jpg?ver=1781848000","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"up24Hindi","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cropped-up24hindi-e1778741598181.png","url":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cropped-up24hindi-e1778741598181.png","width":1020,"height":265}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/lionel-messi-and-rafael-nadal-172716687-16x9_0.avif","url":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/lionel-messi-and-rafael-nadal-172716687-16x9_0.avif","height":388,"width":690},"url":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/rafa-on-netflix-magic-on-the-pitch-inside-lionel-messis-record-breaking-world-cup-routine\/","about":["Khel Jagat"],"wordCount":842,"keywords":["FIFA","FIFA World Cup","Lionel Messi"],"articleBody":"Lionel Messi said he has been watching Rafael Nadal’s Netflix documentary (Reuters Photos)KANSAS CITY : What does a man who has conquered every summit in world football do on the eve of a historic, record-breaking sixth FIFA World Cup campaign? If you are Lionel Messi, you don\u2019t spend the night obsessively reviewing tactical data or stressing over the weight of an expectant nation. Instead, you fire up Netflix, settle in, and cue up the latest documentary chronicling the career of tennis legend Rafael Nadal.While ordinary athletes might use late-night television to completely disconnect from their reality, football\u2019s greatest magician was busy absorbing a masterclass on the art of the eternal fighter. As it turns out, a bit of late-night Rafa binge-watching was precisely what the doctor ordered.Making his monumental 200th international appearance for Argentina in their Group J opener against Algeria at a packed stadium in Kansas City, the 38-year-old Messi defied the narrative of a aging veteran managing a pre-tournament injury. Instead, he took to the pitch looking like a teenager playing with pure, unadulterated joy.The Nadal Connection: Mental Fortitude and the Refusal to QuitFollowing a breathtaking, match-winning performance that completely dismantled the Algerian defense, a beaming Messi revealed the inspiration behind his explosive tournament debut.“I’ve liked playing football since I was a kid, and when I’m feeling good like this, I give it my all,” Messi admitted in the post-match press conference. “I’m watching the Rafa Nadal documentary; I think we’re very similar in that sense. I want to feel good. If I’m in good condition to do it, I’ll be there.”Rafa Nadal, la inspiraci\u00f3n de Leo Messi\u201cEstoy viendo su serie y me identifico mucho con \u00e9l\u201d@abc_es pic.twitter.com\/FU3aLKFQWy— Rub\u00e9n Ca\u00f1izares (@Ruben_Canizares) June 17, 2026There is something profoundly defiant about Messi choosing, at this advanced stage of his career, to measure his mindset against Rafael Nadal. He isn’t looking at the Nadal of the trophies, but rather the Nadal who famously played through a body that had stopped fully cooperating\u2014an elite athlete who treated retirement not as an looming inevitability, but as a complex negotiation he refused to rush.Four years after achieving his ultimate, lifelong dream in Qatar, Messi rolled back the years in North America. He completely tore up the script that suggested he should take things easy, proving that the competitive fire burning inside him remains as fierce as ever. He is no longer chasing records, redemption, or the approval of critics; he is simply chasing the pure feeling of the game.Anatomy of the Hat-Trick: Rolling Back the YearsThe tactical shape and patience of Messi\u2019s performance against Algeria mattered just as much as the final scoreline. Denied an opening goal in the eighth minute by a razor-thin offside flag, the Argentine captain did not sulk or force his next opportunity. Instead, he waited for the game to come to him, dictating the tempo from a central midfield role.The First Goal (17th Minute): Messi picked up the ball centrally, seamlessly shifted past a couple of aggressive defensive challenges, and drove a trademark, lethal left-footed shot from the edge of the box. The ball flew past Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane\u2014son of the legendary Zinedine Zidane\u2014to open the scoring.The Second Goal (60th Minute): The second goal was a showcase of pure predatory instinct. Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister unleashed a powerful shot from distance that came crashing back off the goalkeeper. Messi was the quickest to react, sliding the rebound home with his right foot.The Third Goal (76th Minute): The final goal was pure theatrical genius. Orchestrating a flawless give-and-go sequence with Mac Allister, Messi received the ball back and unleashed a signature left-footed finish, curling the ball beautifully beyond Zidane’s outstretched right hand to complete his hat-trick.Equalling the Great Miroslav KloseWith that spectacular third goal, Messi wrote yet another illustrious chapter in football history. The strike marked his 16th career World Cup goal, officially drawing him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the all-time record for most goals scored in the history of the competition.Poetically, the historic feat arrived exactly 20 years to the day since a teenage Messi scored his very first World Cup goal against Serbia and Montenegro on his tournament debut.Argentina’s resounding victory puts them firmly at the top of Group J, but the narrative surrounding the camp is dominated by the longevity of their captain. Messi\u2019s current stance on his future is not a definitive promise to keep playing indefinitely, but rather a stubborn, joyful refusal to rule it out. Guided by the relentless spirit of Rafael Nadal and fueled by his own unmatched genius, Lionel Messi’s sixth World Cup journey has only just begun.\ud83d\udccc \u092f\u0947 \u092d\u0940 \u092a\u0922\u093c\u0947\u0902PBKS Rise as CSK Struggle: Power Shift in IPL 2026IPL 2026 Kickoff: Inside Cricket\u2019s Richest and Most Powerful League\u092e\u093e\u0927\u0935 \u0924\u093f\u0935\u093e\u0930\u0940 \u0915\u0940 \u0938\u0902\u0918\u0930\u094d\u0937 \u0938\u0947 \u0938\u092b\u0932\u0924\u093e \u0924\u0915 \u0915\u0940 \u0915\u0939\u093e\u0928\u094015 \u0938\u093e\u0932 \u0915\u0947 \u0935\u0948\u092d\u0935 \u0938\u0942\u0930\u094d\u092f\u0935\u0902\u0936\u0940 \u0928\u0947 IPL 2026 \u090f\u0932\u093f\u092e\u093f\u0928\u0947\u091f\u0930 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u092e\u091a\u093e\u092f\u093e \u0924\u0942\u092b\u093e\u0928, \u0936\u0924\u0915 \u0938\u0947 \u091a\u0942\u0915\u0947 \u0932\u0947\u0915\u093f\u0928 \u091c\u0940\u0924 \u0932\u093f\u092f\u093e \u0926\u093f\u0932"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Rafa on Netflix, Magic on the Pitch: Inside Lionel Messi\u2019s Record-Breaking World Cup Routine","item":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/rafa-on-netflix-magic-on-the-pitch-inside-lionel-messis-record-breaking-world-cup-routine\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]