Messi had no doubts when he mentioned his football idol, it's not Maradona

Lionel Messi had zero doubts when naming his football idol and it is not Argentina icon Diego Armando Maradona.

Messi is the idol for many players around the world, having achieved almost everything with club and national team.

He won four Champions League titles during his legendary spell at Barcelona and achieved the ultimate goal with Argentina, winning the World Cup in 2022.

But before Messi became the phenomenon we know today, he was just a little boy from Rosario with a dream of becoming a professional footballer.

Leaving Maradona aside, Messi admired another Argentine, claiming he 'loved' him.

Messi spoke highly of his compatriot Pablo Aimar, who, like Messi, made a name for himself in Spain's La Liga.

Aimar rose to prominence at River Plate before Valencia secured his services. He moved to the Spanish side in January 2001 and made 216 appearances for the club, scoring 34 goals, as they won two La Liga titles and the UEFA Cup.

"Apart from Maradona, who always comes first for Argentines, Pablo Aimar was the player I admired the most. I loved him a lot," Messi initially said of Adidas Football.

Aimar also played for Real Zaragoza and Benfica before ending his illustrious career in 2015.

At the time of his retirement, Messi hailed his compatriot as a 'great player' and 'one of my idols' as well as thanking him 'for all the pleasure you gave us with your magic'.

Messi and Aimar played together for several years at international level. They were both selected for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where Argentina was eliminated by the hosts. /Telegraph/