Agustín Tapia, the world No. 1 in padel, met Lionel Messi in Miami on April 5, 2024, at Inter Miami’s facilities while he was in Florida for the Pro Padel League. Two years later, the Argentine player revisited that moment in the second episode of Bandeja, Premier Padel’s official podcast, published on July 2, 2026. The section about Messi starts at 4:06.
When and where did Agustín Tapia meet Lionel Messi?
On April 5, 2024, at Inter Miami’s facilities, during his stay in Florida for the Pro Padel League.
On April 5, 2024, Tapia fulfilled his dream in Miami
The story had started several months earlier. In August 2023, Tapia told El Gráfico about his admiration for Messi and his wish to meet him. The Catamarca-born player spoke about the footballer and the person, highlighting his calm manner and humility.
The wish became reality during Tapia’s trip to Miami. He was able to speak with Messi for around fifteen minutes. On his official Instagram account, he summed up the day in two words: “Día único”.
Fifteen minutes that stayed with the padel No. 1
A few weeks after the meeting, during the Mar del Plata Premier Padel P1, Tapia described his reaction in an interview with El Gráfico.
“For me, it was a dream come true. We spoke with him for fifteen minutes.”
Tapia also mentioned the idea of inviting Messi onto a padel court. The connection is real. Messi has previously said that he enjoys playing padel, even if he considers his own level fairly modest.
As of August 17, 2026, the FIP still ranks Agustín Tapia joint world No. 1 alongside Arturo Coello. His 2026 record at that point stood at 57 wins, six losses and eight Premier Padel titles.
That eighth title had just come at the London Premier Padel P1, after a final victory over Federico Chingotto and Alejandro Galán. Tapia therefore remains central to the sporting headlines while, in Bandeja, returning to a memory that has nothing to do with a trophy.
His meeting with Messi sits apart from rankings and winning streaks. When Tapia talks about it, the Argentine No. 1 sounds like a fan again. More than two years after Miami, the memory still holds a separate place in his journey.
