Lionel Messi on Tuesday attributed his stunning achievements to hard work and sacrifice as his Barcelona side prepare for the first game of their Asian tour in Thailand.
The Spanish champions have returned to Asia three years after their last tour of the continent - home to a huge fan base and prime marketing territory.
After facing Thailand’s national side on Wednesday, Barca travel to Kuala Lumpur to play a Malaysia XI on August 10 before returning to Europe.
Quizzed on the secret of his success at a Unicef event in Bangkok, the Argentine four-time World Player of the Year said dedication was the only route to the top.
“You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it,” he said.
“Training is very important. Now we have no competition we are training a lot. When the season starts we have to play matches so we will train only one or two hours a day.”