Lionel Messi rated Manchester United’s Andre Onana as the second best goalkeeper of 2023 at The Best FIFA Football Awards with only Manchester City’s treble-winning shot-stopper Ederson pipping him to the post.
Seven months after Andre Onana’s Inter Milan went head-to-head with Ederson’s Man City in the Champions League final, the two glovesmen found themselves going eyeball-to-eyeball again this week, albeit with only an individual award up for grabs this time around.
Onana’s superb performances during Inter’s run to the final of Europe’s elite club competition, at least in Lionel Messi’s thinking, goes some way to offsetting what has been a difficult start to life at Old Trafford.
Andre Onana has a fan in Lionel Messi
Manchester United’s £47 million summer signing came under question yet again after being beaten by Rodrigo Bentancur during Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
Messi still voted Onana in second place in his own personal Best Goalkeeper of 2023 rankings, however. Man United’s number 24 sandwiched by the World Cup winners former Barcelona team-mate Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and the eventual winner Ederson.
“At United, I have my future in my hands,” Onana told Sky Sport Italia recently. “There can be good seasons and bad seasons. In life, you have to understand when to enjoy the good moments and when you have to endure the bad ones.”
This is Onana’s second spell alongside Erik ten Hag, having worked with the Dutchman at Ajax too.
‘I was the best last season’
“I have a fantastic relationship with him. Together at Ajax we experienced some wonderful moments and did great things,” adds the Cameroon international.
“But, as I always say, everything is earned on the pitch. And I want to say that I’m definitely here because he wanted me, but also because I was the best last season.
“We shouldn’t take away the credit for the work done. I’m sure that things will improve for me here in Manchester too, because when you have the ability it’s only a question of time.”
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