'He only sent me three beers!' - Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny reveals special Lionel Messi gift as he admits he was 'afraid to play against' Argentina superstar

Back in 2020, eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi made history when registering his 644th goal for Barca – the most that any player has recorded for a single club. In recognition of that achievement, the all-time great teamed up with Budweiser to send out bottles of beer to the 160 goalkeepers that he had scored against.

Szczesny - who is now at Barca after coming out of retirement to provide cover for the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen - was on Messi’s mailing list, but has told Mundo Deportivo of receiving his special gift: “I think Leo only scored three [against me]. I remember because he only sent me three beers! There are probably other players who have scored more against me, but he was the only one I was actually afraid to play against. Because he was that good.”

Messi has faced Szczesny on seven occasions down the years, with the first of his goals against the Polish shot-stopper coming when bagging a brace against Roma in a 2015 Champions League fixture. He was also on target when Barca faced Juventus in elite continental competition back in 2020.

While Messi has enjoyed his meetings with Szczesny, the 34-year-old considers his best save to have come against the South American – with a penalty beaten away at the 2022 World Cup as Argentina went on to claim a global crown. Szczesny added: “The most satisfying save was Messi's penalty in the Qatar World Cup. The stadium and the rival made that moment very special for me.”

Szczesny has never graced the same team as Messi, but is about to follow in his footsteps as a Barcelona player – with a debut for La Liga giants expected to be made when domestic action in Spain resumes. Messi, meanwhile, is in the process of chasing down MLS Cup glory with Inter Miami as he continues to star in the United States at 37 years of age.