Lionel Messi unveils Apple Music playlist ‘Messi: The Warm-Up’

“Messi is an artist, yes he is. Comparable to whom? Miquel Barcelo, Ferran Adria or Shakespeare. Why? Because they left something that moved us all.”

Those were the words of former Barcelona head coach Pep Guardiola, under whom Lionel Messi first rose to prominence as the finest player on the planet. It is far from the only time that Messi has been described as an artist, someone whose output is as aesthetic as it is athletic.

The Argentine has never previously forayed into the world of art but he has now entered the music industry, courtesy of a new motivational podcast released on Apple Music.

The 60-song playlist is entitled ‘Messi: The Warm-Up’ and is designed to give fans a flavour of his pre-match ritual. It’s packed with everything from Latin pop and cumbia to reggae and rock and roll.

“For as long as I can remember, music has played an important part in my life, especially on match days,” Messi explained. “Music quiets my mind, helps me stay calm and relaxed.”

Which artists are on Lionel Messi’s playlist?

The playlist last three and a half hours from start to finish, enough time to provide the soundtrack for all your pre-Game preparations. The tracks span the breadth of his career and ‘Messi: The Warm-Up’ features more than a few throwback songs.

Included on the playlist are Latin artists Maluma, Rosalia, Feid, Rauw Alejandro, Myke Towers, Bad Bunny, Bizarrap and Karol G. The choice to include Bizarrap is a particularly notable one, given his most famous recent output. Last year the Argentinian producer worked with Shakira to create a ‘diss track’ aimed at her former husband Gerard Pique, who starred alongside Messi at Barcelona.

Aside from the expected Hispanic iNFLuences, Messi has also opted for songs from Coldplay, Rihanna, AC/DC and Drake. The track ‘Pepas’ by Farruko also makes it onto the Messi playlist, as it did on Barack Obama’s annual Music of the Year list for 2021.

Who is Lionel Messi’s favourite artist?

For all the big names on ‘Messi: The Warm-Up’, highest regard is paid to a 24-year-old singer from Jalisco, Mexico. Peso Pluma burst onto the music scene in 2022 when his track “El Belicón” debuted at No. 50 on Billboard Hot Latin Songs, reaching No. 46 two weeks later.

“El Belicón” does not make it onto Messi’s playlist but five different songs featuring Peso Pluma are included, the most of any artist.

The full list is ‘QLONA’, ‘Ella Baila Sola’, TULUM’, ‘LADY GAGA’ and ‘Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 55′. The latter was another production by Bizarrap and reached No. 3 in both Argentina and Spain. It topped the Bilboard Mexico charts.

Messi will have the opportunity to test out the playlist on Wednesday evening as Inter Miami prepare to kick-start their 2024 campaign. The Herons get the new MLS season underway with a home fixture against Real Salt Lake.

You can watch Inter Miami take on Real Salt Lake on Wednesday with the MLS Season Pass on AppleTV.