Cristiano Ronaldo has 'aura' but Lionel Messi boasts a 'force field'! Alex Iwobi explains what it's to like to face the GOATs after ending up in unwanted compilation

Having graduated out of the fabled Hale End academy system in north London - allowing European action to be taken in - while also passing through Everton en route to Craven Cottage, Nigeria international Iwobi has lined up against some of the very best in the business.

A couple of GOATs figure prominently on that list, with CR7 being faced during his ill-fated second stint at Manchester United. Prior to that test, which was savoured with Everton, Iwobi made his Champions League bow for the Gunners at Camp Nou in March 2016 as he faced off against Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez and Co in continental competition.

He was given a few harsh lessons that evening in Catalunya, with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi leaving him chasing shadows at times, but the 29-year-old midfielder feels proud to have graced the same pitch as a couple of sporting immortals.

Iwobi told Adebayo Akinfenwa on the latest Beast Mode On Podcast when asked where he stands in the most divisive of football debates - one where the greatest player ever to lace up a pair of boots is asked to be identified: “I always say Messi.”

He went on to say of his personal experiences of World Cup winner Messi and evergreen Portuguese Ronaldo - who is still going strong at the age of 41 with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr: “The Messi one touched me more than the Ronaldo one because Ronaldo, he obviously came back to United, he wants to do it like Ronaldo, so Ronaldo would be the most influential person in the world according to social media.

“It was just different because when I played against Ronaldo, the aura's crazy, but when I played against Messi at the Nou Camp and there was Messi, Neymar, Suarez, [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi, Dani Alves, Victor Valdes, there's just names on names on names and this was my first Champions League start and I'm walking out and all you're hearing is, ‘Messi, Messi’. Man, there's other superstars!

“I'm looking to my left, all of them are small by the way - Neymar's quite small, Messi's extra small - tiny, like tiny, tiny. I thought, ‘nah, there's no way’, in my head, there's no way this guy has this much of a presence as a baller.

“Obviously when I played Ronaldo, it was a different stage of his career - he's just like efficient, get him the ball, he's going to score. Whereas when I played Messi, every time he had the ball there was like a radius where no one could enter that and tackle him.”

On his unwanted place in Messi’s history books, Iwobi added: “You're probably going to search on social media - I normally wear moulds now, but when I was younger, obviously they said you have to wear studs. I remember I put on studs for this game to make sure I'm ready.

“Victor Valdes has thrown the ball to Messi - it's on TikTok somewhere - he's thrown the ball to Messi, I've tried to press him, I was tired of this force field that he has around him. I've tried to press him, on his first touch he just left foot chopped inside.

“I have slipped, my legs in the air like this! Swear down, and I had the longest studs on! It comes up every now and again on Messi's compilation and I just think, oh no, that's me again. I'm just happy my trim has changed!”

Iwobi said when asked about the air of invincibility that Messi has built up over the years: “I've had that with [Sergio] Aguero, with KDB [Kevin De Bruyne], but nothing compares. It was mad, no one could get hear him! Everyone's trying to duck him down, no one can get near and he's just bare small.

“I'll never forget my Champions League debut - it was insane, the whole atmosphere, the MSN - Messi, Neymar and Suarez, they all scored! It was just the perfect loss for me. I've never enjoyed a loss like that!”

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