“I don’t ask for shirts; I usually swap them, but I asked him once” - When Lionel Messi named only player he asked for shirt during career
Lionel Messi once named former Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane as the only player from whom he had asked for a shirt in his career. The legendary Argentine played against Zidane only once in his career in an El Clasico during the 2005-06 season, where Barcelona won 3-0. Messi secured an assist in the game.
In a 2017 interview with TyC Sports, Messi revealed that he has only asked for Zidane's shirt, as he's usually not the one to ask other players to swap shirts with him. It remained unclear when Messi exchanged shirts with Zidane, as he didn't specify the game.
“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 don't ask anyone," Messi said.
Lionel Messi further elaborated on his shirt collection in a 2023 interview with the Miami Herald, where he shared all the shirts he swapped with players in his career are kept at his house in Barcelona. He noted:
"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."
After spending almost two months out of the pitch due to an ankle injury, Messi returned to action for Inter Miami in an MLS clash against Philadelphia Union on September 15. The Argentine scored a brace and bagged an assist in the 3-1 win.
"I think it is magic" - When Zinedine Zidane shared his admiration for Lionel Messi
In November 2023, Lionel Messi and Zinedine Zidane sat for an exclusive chat for Adidas, where the Frenchman showered praise on Messi. Zidane said (via One Football):
"It is just one word: 'magic'. I mean, Leo and I are not together every day.
"So, today is a very important day for me because I can tell him how much I admire him. And I think it is magic, pure magic. Magic in the sense that before receiving the ball, he already knew what needed to be done."
The Frenchman said there will never be another player like Lionel Messi:
"And especially for me, as someone who understands football. Watching you (Messi) on the field, I almost knew what you were going to do, you know?
"It was like a connection. When I see him doing what he does, I say: 'that's it'. So that's what people want to see in football. There are few, but not like him. Very few, well … just only one.”
In the same chat, Zidane also mentioned that he would have loved to play alongside Messi in the same team although it never happened.
In response, the former Blaugrana legend admitted that Zidane made him suffer a lot during his time as a coach at Real Madrid when Messi represented their arch-rivals Barcelona.