Lionel Messi: In his own words – A new four-part documentary on Apple TV+

The journey of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi is set to grace Apple TV+ in an exciting new documentary series announced this week. Presented by SMUGGLER Entertainment, the currently untitled four-part series offers exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Messi, widely regarded as the greatest-of-all-time in a sport adored by five billion fans globally.

Filmed in Argentina, Qatar, and Paris, the series follows Messi’s path through his five World Cup appearances and culminates in his victorious 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar, considered one of the most thrilling finals in history. The docuseries uncovers the definitive story of Messi’s illustrious career with the Argentina national football team, with Messi himself providing an intimate and insightful narrative in his pursuit of a legacy-defining World Cup victory.

Messi shared his dream with the filmmakers only days before the World Cup began, saying, “To finish my last year winning a World Cup would be the dream ending.” As the world watched, Messi’s dream turned into reality, and he etched his name even deeper into the annals of sporting history, as he lifted the World Cup trophy.

The documentary event has a decorated crew of producers and executive producers, including Emmy Award winners Tim Pastore, Matt Renner, Patrick Milling Smith, Brian Carmody, Jon Henion, and Juan Camilo Cruz. SMUGGLER Entertainment, in association with Pegsa, produced the series for Apple TV+.

The filmmakers were granted unparalleled access to Messi throughout the exhilarating FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The series paints an immersive picture of Messi’s world – from the training grounds in Qatar, the frenzy of the press conferences, to the quiet introspection in Messi’s private room. The documentary provides a riveting fusion of Messi’s public and private life, offering viewers a unique perspective into the experiences of the planet’s premier living athlete and his dedicated supporters in Argentina and beyond.

The series also boasts extensive interviews with Messi, alongside testimonies from teammates, coaches, competitors, fervent fans and commentators, highlighting Messi’s profound impact on a nation and the world. It traces Messi’s dramatic journey – from being shown a red card in his first minute on the pitch with Argentina’s national team to bearing a nation’s hopes through elusive World Cup wins, his brief retirement in 2016, and his ultimate comeback to become a FIFA World Cup champion and the tournament’s best player in 2022.

Apple TV+ is an acclaimed platform offering a rich blend of drama, comedy series, feature films, documentaries, and kids and family entertainment. Since its launch in November 2019, Apple TV+ has revolutionised the streaming industry, achieving numerous award recognitions faster than any of its contemporaries. Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have won 365 awards and received 1,465 award nominations, including the multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and the historic Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA”.