Formula 1 legend Fernando Alonso and Football GOAT Lionel Messi share many similarities, which is quite amusing. The two great athletes speak Spanish as their mother tongue. One legend is the son of Espania, and another is an adopted son. Though Messi was born in Argentina, his entire football career has been built in Spain, and the legend is forever grateful to the country.
Fernando is already in his 40s and still going strong like a 20-year-old athlete, while Lionel Messi is slowly entering his 40s. Messi is still the world’s best player at this age and is showing immense abilities during the Inter Miami matches.
Let’s look at the unique similarities between these two legends.
Warrior Mentality
Both Fernando Alonso and Lionel Messi are older, considering the modern sports standards and age limits. But the highlight here was that they perform equally and sometimes better than many young athletes. The warriors inside their heads are the ones helping them to perform at their highest level, even at this age. They are never in doubt about their age, form and skills.
Young Masters
At the age of 19, Alonso joined Formula 1 in the early 2000s, while Lionel Messi started playing football as early as he was a little child. Messi won the Ballon d’Or at the age of 22. Fernando Alonso became a world champion at 24 by beating the great Michael Schumacher in back-to-back seasons. Both learnt the mastery of winning at their early age.
Global Icons and Inspiration
Lionel Messi and Fernando Alonso are some of the Global icons in their respective careers. Many footballers started to emerge after getting inspired by Messi, and he is the brand ambassador of the sport. Alonso is also an icon, as many young rookie drivers are his fans. Apart from sports, they are also the brand ambassadors of many globally recognised corporations.
Rich by heart
Messi comes from a poor background, so he knows the struggle of an average citizen. As a football icon, he funds many youth programs across Latin America and Africa, helping young kids to become footballers in the future. He also funds many education and health organisations.
The Spanish F1 driver is also a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. He is also helping many young kids in Karting races and rookie drivers to enter Formula 1. Gabriel Bortoleto, the 2025 F1 Sauber driver, was funded by Fernando Alonso from an early age.
Interesting fact
Fernando Alonso was a huge fan of the Spanish football club Real Madrid. It was also the arch-rival club of FC Barcelona, which was Lionel Messi’s team. But during one interview, Alonso called Messi the world’s best footballer even though he likes the Real Madrid football club.
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