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Fifa World Cup: When 'GOAT' Lionel Messi was blocked by Instagram

The Argentine superstar revealed that he had received a million messages

Published: Tue 31 Jan 2023, 8:00 AM

Updated: Tue 31 Jan 2023, 11:04 AM

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Photo: Twitter

Photo: Twitter

In this day and age of a social media-driven world, Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi found himself being blocked by popular social media platform Instagram.

The magician had endured years of heartbreak to finally lay his hands on the trophy he had most longed and coveted. Just after he finally managed to grasp and kiss that 14.4-inch trophy made of 18 karat gold after La Albiceleste won an epic final against France in Qatar, messages started pouring in for the 35-year-old, not just in person but also across his social media handles.


Personalities such as Messi receive thousands of messages daily, but such a momentous occasion meant that those messages quadrupled. So much so that Messi, nicknamed ‘La Pulga,’ received “million messages” and his Instagram handle was blocked for a few days.

Messi, who had won the Golden Ball and the Silver Boot awards in the tournament held in Doha, made the revelation on Monday.

"My Instagram was blocked for a few days because of the number of messages I received after winning the World Cup. I had a million messages on Instagram, and they blocked me," the PSG and former FC Barcelona wizard was quoted as saying by multiple media outlets across the globe.

Messi, undoubtedly the Greatest Player of All Time (GOAT), also revealed that he manages his own account and is not handled by any other individual or company. Usually, most top personalities have a hired company or an individual managing their social media accounts.

The footballer has 425 million followers on Instagram.

Messi, who also won the Copa America beating arch-rivals Brazil on their home soil in 2021, features in a documentary ‘Argentine National Team, Road to Qatar which aired on Amazon Prime in 2022.

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