‘I’ve Played Against Ronaldo and Mbappe – But I’ve Only Swapped Shirts With One Legend’

Lionel Messi is no stranger to playing against some of the very best talent in the world. While for many people, there is no one who tops the great Argentinian, there are still a select few players who have in the past given him a run for his money.

Given that the diminutive forward has played in multiple Champions League finals and two World Cup finals, he has come face to face with plenty of the greatest the world has to offer. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and, more recently, Kylian Mbappe come to mind.

Yet, there is only one superstar that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has ever dared asked to swap shirts with at the end of the game. And it is one of the very few men who could come close to challenging the 37-year-old as being the face of the sport in the 2000s. The mercurial, Zinedine Zidane.

Why Messi Asked to Swap Shirts With Only Zidane

The Argentine revealed he would only usually swap shirts when approached

Speaking to the TyC Sports in 2017, via SPORTbible, the former Barcelona and PSG star revealed that Zidane was the only person that he had ever approached post-match to ask for their shirt, stating:

“I don’t ask for shirts, I usually swap them, but I asked Zidane once. If there is an Argentine I swap it with him, but, unless someone asks me, I’m not asking anyone.”

The pair incredibly only ever played each other once in their magical careers as Zidane prematurely called time on his mesmeric run at the top just as the man who would go on to eclipse him was emerging on the scene. It came in a famous 3-0 win for Barca at the Santiago Bernabeu, mostly known for Ronaldinho scoring an incredible solo effort that got a standing ovation from even the most hardened Madrid supporters.

Messi also made an impact that night, grabbing the assist for Samuel Eto’o’s early opening goal to set Frank Rijkaard’s side on the path to three precious points. That year, the Catalan outfit would go on to comfortably lift the La Liga title while also winning their first Champions League in 14 years.

Zidane’s Wish to Have Played With Messi

The Frenchman says he would’ve loved to have played alongside the Argentine

The fact fans were robbed of seeing more of the two legends squaring off against each other is cruel. But the tantalising idea of the two joining forces is even greater. While it wasn’t meant to be, Zidane admitted during a conversation between the pair that he wished they could’ve played together. The Frenchman said:

“It’s a pity that we couldn’t play together. This is the moment for me to pass you the ball. Today is a very important day for me because I can tell him how much I admire him. I think he is magic, pure magic.

“All the people who like football and these people are different. And I think it’s magic, pure magic. Magic in the sense. Before receiving the ball, he already knew what needed to be done. And especially for me, as someone who understands football. Watching you on the field, I almost knew what you were going to do, you know? It was like a connection. But when I see him doing what he does, I just go like, ‘That’s it’.”

Where Messi Keeps All His Swapped Shirts

Messi revealed that he has kept all the jerseys he has been given

As to where Messi keeps his Zidane jersey, the little magician confirmed that it remains with all the other pieces of memorabilia from his career at his home in Barcelona. Speaking to the Miami Herald, the Argentine revealed:

“I have them all saved in my house, in Barcelona, where I have all the important mementos of my career. I simply exchange with whoever happens to be there at that moment.

“I have had a chance to play against teams that had Argentine players, and generally we swap shirts, but I also exchanged shirts with players in Europe – players who I knew from before… it’s always nice to change shirts with friends or players I know.”

As for the other shirts in his collection, an image of sat among his collection of match-worn shirts went viral, with kits belonging to Thierry Henry, Yaya Toure and Angel Di Maria being spotted among the assembly. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner certainly has some star names in his collection, but none are as valuable to him as Zidane’s famous jersey.