Kobe Bryant was a man of many tastes. Even though he was an NBA superstar coming out of high school in Philadelphia, Bryant had a cultured upbringing because of his father’s European basketball career.
Kobe is a polyglot and speaks multiple languages, but he also appreciates European culture, especially soccer. He forged friendships with many soccer personalities over his career, including Brazilian legend Ronaldinho. Bryant once revealed that Ronaldinho introduced him to 17-year-old Lionel Messi and told him that Messi will become the greatest player in the sport’s history.
“I’ll tell you a story. A long time ago, Barcelona came to Los Angeles. Ronaldinho was a good friend and I was talking to him when he said, ‘Kobe, I’m going to introduce you to the guy who is going to be the greatest player of all time.’ I said, ‘What? You are the best.’ He said, ‘No no. This kid right here is going to be the best’. That guy was Lionel Messi, who was only 17.”
When Ronaldinho introduced Kobe to a 17-year-old Lionel Messi
“Kobe, I’m going to introduce you to the guy who is going to be the greatest player of all-time.”
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 22, 2023
A sport like soccer has some absolute titans in the conversation for the greatest of all time, but Messi looks to have cemented his name atop the list after his incredible triumph at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It’s a shame that Kobe couldn’t be with us as Messi fulfilled the claims Ronaldinho made.
Kobe Bryant Never Focused Solely On Basketball
Everyone talks about Mamba Mentality and Kobe’s dedication to his craft, but it often gets misunderstood. Mamba Mentality wasn’t about just on-court excellence and basketball practice but a larger mindset that allows you to take on any and every challenge thrown your way. Kobe spent hours in the gym, but he also spent hours reading books and watching movies to keep himself intellectually engaged.
Kobe was achieving great things outside of basketball, including winning an Oscar for his short film ‘Dear Basketball’. The work ethic he used to make his basketball career a success allowed him to focus on other stuff during the peak of his career. Keeping his soccer fandom alive was one of those things, as Bryant was one of the biggest appreciators of the game in American sports during his era.
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