Humour: 12 reasons why everyone loves Lionel Messi

#7 Loyal to Barcelona

‘This crest is the tastiest thing ever’

Finding players that are 100% loyal to the club they play for is harder than convincing Gareth Bale that his hairstyle is like a bird’s nest that wasn’t built with painstaking diligence.

However, Messi is one of those rare gems that has stuck to Barca despite being accused of not being a great player because he hasn’t played in a different league.

Almost every year, he is seen asking for a new contract with higher wages so that he can extend his stay with the club. A look at the number of extensions in the past few years will give one an idea of his loyalty.

Some people misinterpret the raises that he frequently receives as an example of him being a money lover, but a deeper look at it will make them respect him even more: he does it so that Barca pay him a lot of money, which in turn would allow him to support his family better and also save Barca – and himself – from being the subject of rumours that link him with other clubs.

If he wasn’t paid a huge sum of money, there would have been reports every week claiming that some random oil-rich club is willing to increase his wages and that he is looking to move there. So Messi makes sure Barca give him the maximum possible wages to avoid being linked to other clubs, even if only in the papers.

This fierce loyalty to the club is what has made him a...