Former Man United Star Shares Heartbreaking Account of How Lionel Messi Shattered His Dreams in the 2009 Champions League Final

Legendary footballer Nemanja Vidic has opened up about his nightmarish encounter with Lionel Messi in the 2009 UEFA Champions League final. Vidic recounted how he was left devastated by Messi, whom he describes as an "extra-terrestrial", in the final, where the Argentine inspired Barcelona to victory, including scoring an insane header. Vidic's defensive partner, Rio Ferdinand, has also spoken about how Messi and Barcelona "took their souls" in that game. Messi's ability to position himself among defenders, inviting them out of the zone so that the wingers have space to run behind, caused Vidic and his colleagues a lot of trouble. The game, played in Rome, was the longest Vidic has ever played in. Messi and Vidic crossed paths again in 2011 at Wembley Stadium, which ended in favour of Messi's team again. In a recent interview with Rio Ferdinand, Vidic picked between Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney in terms of who was more successful at Old Trafford. Vidic, who had the honour of sharing the locker room with the deadly duo, chose Ronaldo, whom he hailed for his sheer dedication. Earlier this year, Gary Lineker explained why there was not actually a debate between Ronaldo and Messi in the first place. Many football fans believe the ever-divisive Greatest of All Time (GOAT) argument officially ended when Messi won the World Cup in December 2022. However, Lineker contended that there was never a debate to begin with. Meanwhile, the football world continues to be abuzz with trending news, including Paulo Dybala revealing that he once told Ronaldo he hated him during their time at Juventus, Barcelona's meeting with La Liga officials to discuss Lionel Messi transfer plans, and Napoli's title march bringing football glory back to southern Italy. Send a message.