Published on 12, July, 2020
I have read in several different places that Lionel Messi is autistic, it is said he may have been diagnosed as a child in Argentina before he moved to Spain at 13, and reading books and articles about him and seeing how he talks in interviews and how he is on the pitch a lot of his personality and behaviour would fit with an autistic person. I found it really comforting and inspirational when he won the World Cup yesterday. It felt like NT people always reject us and look down on us and make us feel we are not as good as them and yet an autistic person is the absolute best in the world at something. It made me almost cry with happiness, like a victory for autistic people.
I believe Albert Einstein may have been autistic too. I teach other autistic kids and when they put themselves down and see their autism as something that makes us inferior, I say to them the most intelligent man in history and the greatest footballer in history are both autistic.
I wonder if this might be the reason we don't see all that many interviews with him? Considering that Lionel is one of the world's most famous people, and that this is an age when publicity is deemed highly important, that 'silence' is unusual. Perhaps it's his own choice or perhaps journalists know of his autism and are being respectful of his right to personal privacy?
While I respect anyone's claim on their own private life, if Lionel *is* autistic then it would be great for so many people if he spoke openly about it.
I think that may well be the reason. Even the few interviews you see with him he seems very uncomfortable and doesnt look like he wants to be there. I was reading his biography tonight and even in his childhood there were so many things that sounded similar to autistic traits
When he first started playing for Argentina he couldn't even talk to anyone
I agree it would be great if he came out and said it, would be such an encouragement to other autistic people but I doubt he would as he is an intensley private person