"He arrived at 6.50 and the team weren't training till 10" - David Beckham shares anecdote that details Lionel Messi's dedication 

Inter Miami part-owner David Beckham has shared an anecdote detailing Lionel Messi's dedication to the game. The Argentine superstar currently plies his trade for Inter Miami which Beckham partly owns.

Beckham has claimed that Lionel Messi is excellent at teaching younger players and does not make others feel inferior. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid winger also hailed Messi's immense dedication towards training.

In an interview with Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel, Beckham said:

"One thing that Leo is good at is teaching, he's good at teaching. He doesn't make any player feel below him, he's that guy that will stay out in the training ground teaching the young kids. He'll be the first in the gym and the last out of the gym."

"I don't think you get to that level without having that within you. You mention Cristiano, I've heard from multiple people about him as a player and how much he works on elements that he's been praised at for many years."

Beckham then shared an anecdote regarding Lionel Messi's dedication to training. The former England captain claimed that Messi arrived for training at 6.50 in the morning even though training officially started at 10.

The 49-year-old stated:

"For Leo, I'll take you back to his first day with us at the training ground. He came in at 6.50 in the morning, there was nobody in the training facility, he arrived at 6.50 and the team weren't training till 10. He was preparing, he's in the gym, he's warming up, he's doing all the things you'd expect a young player to do and he's still doing it now."

"After everything he's won in his career, you'd expect him to be a bit more relaxed, if I had to describe him with one word, he's a winner. As simple as that, not in the sense of what he's won but he's still hungry, still hungry for Championships."

Beckham added:

"He still gets angry at players for not doing the right things. He still gets angry when he loses games, even when he's not playing he gets angry. That's the type of person and player he is and it's unbelievable to see."

Lionel Messi is 37 and is still playing at the highest level for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. The Argentine superstar has scored 19 goals and provided 12 assists in 21 appearances for the MLS giants this season.

---

Lionel Messi heaps praise on former Real Madrid midfielder

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has lavished praise on former Real Madrid midfielder Nico Paz. The highly-rated Como midfielder made his debut for Argentina in their 6-0 win against Bolivia in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers on October 15.

Paz, who spent eight years on the books of Real Madrid before leaving for Como in the summer, replaced Lautaro Martinez in the second half. Following the game, the technically gifted midfielder was hailed by Argentine skipper Lionel Messi.

The Inter Miami attacker said, as quoted by GOAL:

"We played very well between the lines, at a high level. Now, Nico Paz has made his debut, and he has a lot of quality, and I hope he continues to grow. He wasn't born when I made my debut in Primera, yes, I knew (laughs)."

The Barcelona icon added:

"He has a great head. He understands the game perfectly and I hope he continues like this. He played; he enjoyed it, and I think he'll feel comfortable in this team because he likes having the ball."

Lionel Messi was at his absolute best against Bolivia as he scored a hat-trick while also producing two assists.