A video of Lionel Messi lifting weights has gone viral on social media, with fans stunned to see the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner in a completely different setting.Messi, who is only six feet tall and weighs 159 pounds, is as small as can be and has derided the idea that elite athletes must be blessed with great power.
The Argentinian was so small in his youth that doctors concluded he suffered from growth hormone deficiency and had to have growth hormone injected into his leg.
But despite not being a bodybuilder by any means, Messi is still looking to improve his strength at the age of 35, as new footage shows.
In a clip shared on Paris Saint-Germain’s media channels, the players could be seen performing a series of different drills. It’s all about dynamic movements, medicine ball exercises, and weights, and the main topic of conversation was Messi lifting what felt like around 20 pounds.
Cameras caught the Barcelona legend picking up a dumbbell and hoisting it onto his pecs in what appears to be the first time he’s done weights in his life.
On social media, a fan shared a GIF and wrote, “I swear this is the first time I’ve seen him lift weights.”The tweet racked up over 50,000 likes, and plenty of other people agreed that it was an ultra-rare sight.
Another said: “Never in my life have I imagined Messi lifting weights.”
A third commented: “When you carry your team for so long, you don’t have to lift weights for anything.”
A fourth added: “Messi lifting weights, lol, why is that so funny to me? Haha.”
A fifth joked: “Nah, he’s finished football; now he’s doing side quests.”
Messi never needed much training to lift weights given all the awards and trophies he got his hands on—the most recent being the World Cup, which allowed him to complete his incredible collection.
He hasn’t lifted the Champions League since 2015 and will do anything to help PSG go all the way after a string of back-to-back disappointments.
