When one thinks of about legends in sports, two names that come to mind almost immediately are Lionel Messi and Sachin Tendulkar. The latter has walked into the cricketing sunset, while the former, his fans hope, has still one FIFA World Cup left in him. Both, in their prime, made the world stand still whenever they stepped on to the field. Even off the field, the two have conducted themselves with aplomb.
Messi, 32, continues to inspire a generation of footballers, while Tendulkar continues to be loved and respected worldwide, more than six years he walked off the cricket field forever. The love and admiration both the legends enjoy has stood the test of time, and cricketer Suresh Raina put a finger on the reason recently.
In a Facebook LIVE session with Khaleej Times, Raina, who was part of the 2011 ICC World Cup-winning Indian team, said both Messi and Tendulkar are humble despite their achievements. “I am a big fan of Messi. He is so down to earth, Both Sachin and Messi are very good when it comes to taking care of people around them because in sports you need to be really humble.
“You may be the number one player in the world, but your legacy is very important, You need to show gratitude to everyone,” Raina said.
Raina also talked about how Tendulkar took care of the entire Indian team during their 2011 World Cup campaign. He said the Master Blaster was like the team’s second coach during the tournament. India went on to beat Sri Lanka in the final, and lifted the trophy after 28 years.
“With Sachin, it’s always about his calmness. It was because of Sachin that we won the World Cup. He was the guy who made everyone in the team believe that we can do that, He was like the second coach in the team,” Raina said.
