Tom Holland recalls meeting Lionel Messi: 'The energy changed'

Tom Holland, the star of "Spider-Man: No Way Home," has spoken about his profound admiration for soccer icon Lionel Messi, recalling a particularly memorable encounter at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris.

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When he walked into the room, it was like the energy had changed.

Holland described the experience of meeting Messi as transformative, noting how the atmosphere in the room shifted the moment the Argentinian athlete entered. "When he walked into the room, it was like the energy had changed," Holland shared, emphasizing that this feeling was unique even among the many admired figures present.

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He was very kind to do some Spider-Man promotional things with us.

While Holland is accustomed to the pressures of Hollywood, he finds a distinct kind of respect for athletes like Messi. He highlighted the sustained pressure athletes endure to maintain peak performance over long periods, contrasting it with the more episodic pressure actors face with film releases.

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I'm super grateful that he came to do that for us. It has been like the most viral piece of content we have done for the movie.

Beyond their personal meeting, Holland expressed deep appreciation for Messi's willingness to collaborate on a promotional campaign for "Spider-Man: No Way Home." He noted that Messi's involvement in the advertisement, where the soccer star is depicted using Spider-Man's webs, became the most viral content produced for the film. Holland acknowledged that Messi doesn't typically engage in such cross-industry collaborations, making his participation a significant gesture and a source of immense gratitude.

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I feel immense gratitude because Messi doesn't usually do those kinds of things.