"That player is absolutely incredible" - When Jose Mourinho referred to Lionel Messi as the 'God of football'
Legendary manager Jose Mourinho once lauded Lionel Messi as the "God of Football". His comments came after the Argentine legend's breathtaking display during Barcelona's encounter with Liverpool in the first-leg of the 2019 Champions League semi-final.
At Camp Nou, the home side faced a formidable Liverpool team. Barcelona, as often was the case, led by Messi's brilliance managed to beat the Reds 3-0. The Argentine winger also scored a world-class free-kick from 35 yards out in that game.
Mourinho has been no stranger to Messi's abilities, having witnessed the legendary playmaker firsthand during his managerial tenure at Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013. The manager, speaking with Russia Today, couldn't help but express his admiration about Messi (via Daily Star) back then:
"I don't think in the past 20 years many teams in the Champions League beat Barcelona in ball possession in the Champions League. God of Football made it completely different. Of course (Barca) have a good team, phenomenal players, but that player is absolutely incredible."
The fixture took an unexpected turn in the second leg at Anfield. Liverpool were undeterred by the 3-0 deficit from the first leg and staged an awe-inspiring comeback, clinching a 4-0 victory. They went on to win the final as well, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final.
Lionel Messi set to break record with selling World Cup-winning jerseys
The collection of Lionel Messi's jerseys from Argentina's triumphant 2022 World Cup campaign has become a prized set in sports memorabilia auctions. This set, encompassing jerseys from each stage of the tournament, has already sparked a bidding war.
Astoundingly, bids have reportedly rocketed to a staggering $6.5 million, with experts predicting that the final tally could soar to or even exceed $10 million. Should the bidding cross the $10.1 million threshold, it would shatter the record for the most expensive sports jersey ever sold. According to GOAL, a portion of the proceeds will be channeled to the noble cause of aiding children with rare diseases.
Impressively, it would eclipse the price fetched by Michael Jordan's jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals. The current football record is held by Diego Maradona's jersey from the 1986 World Cup, which sold for a jaw-dropping £7,142,500.
Lionel Messi notably provided an impressive performance at the tournament, racking up seven goals and three assists in seven games.