Barcelona icon Lionel Messi has not been shy with his desire to see one Manchester United legend close up in action again and even teased him with a challenge.
The 37-year-old Argentine is seen as one of the best players of all time alongside the likes of Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele and Diego Maradona.
Lionel Messi left Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the 2022-23 season and completed a sensational move to David Beckham’s Inter Miami side in 2023.
The Inter Miami superstar has created a legendary legacy in the sport and Messi is heading towards the tail end of his remarkable playing career in football.
Despite turning 38 years old in June, ex-PSG and Barcelona star Messi is still playing football with Argentina after leading his country to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is widely tipped to play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, with Argentina defending their title at the tournament.
Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
David Beckham crossed paths with Lionel Messi towards the end of his playing career and the Manchester United legend is all too familiar with him on the pitch.
The 49-year-old former United superstar witnessed first-hand Messi’s incredible brilliance when he was playing for Paris Saint-Germain at the end of his career.
Speaking to Men’s Health magazine, Beckham revealed that Messi and three of his Inter Miami teammates will try and ‘coax’ him into playing small-sided football matches.
Messi was reunited with former Barcelona trio Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets at Inter Miami and the foursome are “always on” Beckham’s back.
“Do you know what, they’re always on at me, Leo [Messi], Luis [Suarez], Jordi [Alba], Sergio [Busquets],” Beckham said.
“They will turn around and say, “Come on, come on, join in!”’
However, Beckham did not make it clear whether or not he ever accepted the challenge from the likes of Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Messi.
Beckham said that Father Time had caught up with him when he felt his quad during a promotion that he was shooting with Adidas for the sports brand’s new Predator boots.
“The funny thing was, the other day I was kicking a ball around for Adidas, doing some filming for my new Predator boots,” he explained.
“I was doing some free-kicks, pinging some long passes and I got overly excited.
“I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but I grew up in an era where I didn’t really do much warming up or stretching.
“So, it wasn’t unusual just taking some balls on the halfway line and pinging them into the goal or onto the crossbar.
“I got to the fifth, six and seventh – on the eighth one, I pinged it, and I was like, ‘Oh s—, my quad!’ The guy filming asked if I could do a couple more. I was like, ‘No, I think we got it!’”
Beckham lifted six Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy and two FA Cups during his remarkable playing spell at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The United legend called it time on his prolific football career in 2013 after his brief period with PSG, following his spells at Real Madrid, LA Galaxy and AC Milan.
