Players usually click with others in their sport. Friendships between athletes from different sports are common too. When two legends from different worlds get close, it’s something special. Stephen Curry and Lionel Messi seem to have that vibe, which is amazing. Let’s dive into their relationship and see how these stars from basketball and soccer inspire and support each other. Let’s also look at what makes their connection so cool.

Stephen Curry and Lionel Messi are often seen as the GOATs of their sports, and it’s not just hype. Both have shaken up their games with their insane skills. Curry changed the NBA with his three-point sharpshooting. He made defenses scramble and inspired players to shoot regularly from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Messi’s brilliance had even the best soccer coaches reworking their game plans to deal with him. These two legends have transformed their sports in such a profound way that their influence is perfectly aligned.

On top of that, did you know that Lionel Messi and Barcelona influenced the Warriors’ style of play? Barça once dominated Europe with their “tiki-taka” style. It focused on slick passing, involving everyone, instead of just dribbling and it made a huge impact. It’s similar to how Phil Jackson switched up the 90s Bulls from relying on Michael Jordan to getting the whole team involved. Steve Kerr, being a former Bulls player, was all about that and showed the Warriors clips of Barcelona FC. Even Stephen Curry mentioned how their “flow and rhythm” really shaped how the Warriors play.

“It’s a great visual for us to see. It’s a great comparison of body movement, ball movement between the two sports. It’s all about just flow and rhythm and chemistry. We’ve had a certain style that we not mastered.. has evolved over the ten years that he has been coaching. So yeah it was an asserted effort to get us to play a certain way that would help us win. Obviously, we’ve been able to do that,” said the Chef.

But that’s not the only time they’ve shown mutual respect.

Messi and Curry showing love for each other

When Messi hit 30 million followers on Instagram, Curry didn’t just drop a tweet. He sent him a signed jersey. Messi even posted a pic of himself with Curry on Instagram, giving him a shoutout and making a promise.

And true to his word, Messi later sent Curry a signed jersey of his own when Curry hit 10 million followers, reigniting their bond and showing how much their friendship means.

Stephen Curry’s got immense respect for Lionel Messi. When Messi joined PSG in 2021, Curry tweeted, “Messi has some good taste I see. Good luck at PSG my guy,” showing his admiration. Then, when Messi made the move to Inter Miami in 2023, Curry sent a message to welcome him. “I just want to say congratulations on the transition. Good luck, I know it’s new beginnings.” It’s clear Curry’s support for Messi goes beyond just friendly gestures—it’s a genuine celebration of a fellow icon.

Messi hit Stephen Curry’s iconic “night, night” celebration

Two months after his Copa America injury in July, the Ballon d’Or winner was back in action. Lionel Messi scored twice, securing a win for Inter Miami against Philadelphia Union at the Chase Stadium. But it wasn’t just his play that stood out; after one of his goals, Messi busted out Stephen Curry’s ‘night night’ celebration.

Stephen Curry made the ‘night night’ celebration legendary, first pulling it out against the Denver Nuggets during the 2022 NBA playoffs, then rocking it all the way through the Warriors’ championship run. Since then, football icons like Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Ousmane Dembélé have jumped on the wave, making it their own.

So when Messi hit that ‘night night’ after scoring, it wasn’t just a celebration—it was a shoutout to Curry’s reach and swagger crossing over into different sports. What are your thoughts on the two legends?