Barcelona and Argentina icon Lionel Messi delivered a rude awakening for one Manchester United legend during their encounter in the Champions League.
Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the best players of all time alongside the likes of Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona and Pele.
The 37-year-old Argentine forward rose to prominence in Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy before breaking into the first team under Frank Rijkaard.
Messi wrote his name into the history books during his time at the Camp Nou, with the Argentina captain becoming an integral part of Barcelona’s success.
During his time at the Spanish club, the Inter Miami superstar lifted a whopping 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League trophies and seven Copa del Reys.
Messi, who is Barcelona’s all-time top scorer, made an incredible 778 appearances for the La Liga club and scored an eye-watering 672 times for the first team.
The Barcelona legend’s spell at the Camp Nou came to an end in 2021 and Messi went on to sign for Ligue 1 outfit Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.
Messi’s brutal encounter with Man Utd legend
Lionel Messi lifted back-to-back Ligue 1 titles with PSG before the 2022 World Cup winner became a free agent in 2023 and signed for current side Inter Miami.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has been a key player for Inter Miami, with Manchester United legend David Beckham a co-owner and president of the club.
David Beckham has held a long admiration for Messi and had previously dreamed of bringing the former Barcelona captain to the States for the MLS outfit.
The 49-year-old former United superstar also crossed paths with Messi in the Champions League during his time as a player at French side PSG.
Beckham had moved to PSG in 2013 after his spell with LA Galaxy ended in 2012 and the United legend saw out the remainder of his career at the Paris-based club.
PSG faced Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the 2012-13 Champions League campaign and secured a 2-2 draw in the first leg at the Parc des Princes.
Barcelona came from behind in the return leg and picked up a 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou, with the La Liga club reaching the semi-finals thanks to the aggregate rules.
Beckham played in both legs of the Champions League quarter-final matches and he revealed that his encounter with Messi convinced him that it was time to retire.
“I probably decided to retire when Messi was running past me,” he previously told Sky Sports, as per Marca in 2023.
“[Messi] came on and Barcelona scored. Despite my age, I enjoyed playing and the team was good in both games.
“We did things to be proud of. We didn’t lose to them.”
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Beckham on Messi’s arrival in the States
Speaking to former United and England teammate Rio Ferdinand, David Beckham revealed Messi blew him away with his work ethic on his first day at Inter Miami.
“The one thing that Leo is good at is teaching,” he said on Rio Ferdinand Presents in October.
“He’s good at teaching the young players that are coming in from the academy. He doesn’t make any player feel below him.
“He’s that player that will stay out on the training ground teaching the young kids, going to watch the academy kids playing. He’ll be the first in the gym and he’ll be the last out of the gym.
“I don’t think you get to that level without having that [drive] within you. I’ll take you back to the first day that he came into our training ground.
“He arrived at about 6:50 in the morning. And there was nobody in the training facility apart from one guy to let him in. He arrived at 6:50. The team weren’t training till 10.”
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