Lionel Messi is regularly swarmed after full-time of matches with players requesting his match-worn shirt – but the tables turned when ex-Man Utd star Angel Gomes approached him

Back in February 2022 Angel Gomes swapped shirts with Lionel Messi (Image: Paris Saint-Germain)

Former Manchester United youngster Angel Gomes has opened up on the “surreal” moment Lionel Messi asked for his shirt.

Gomes, who departed Old Trafford and joined Lille in 2020, crossed paths with PSG star Messi in the Stade Pierre-Mauroy tunnel in February 2022 after his side had been beat 5-1 on home turf in their Ligue 1 clash.

As is the usual reaction for most players who have played against the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, the 22-year-old midfielder headed straight to see if he could get his shirt.

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It was mission successful for Gomes – but what followed next was completely unexpected. Recalling on BBC’s Football Focus, he said: “It was just like a fanboy moment, I can’t lie.

“[He] gave me his shirt, he took his t-shirt off and he gave it me. And for me, I was like ‘alright, happy days’, like cheers. And he was like ‘wait, are you not giving me your shirt?’

If you had to pick one, which player’s match-worn shirt would you want? Let us know in the comments section.

Gomes spoke of his shock at Messi’s request on Football Focus (Image: BBC)

“I was like ‘what, you want my shirt?!’ He was like ‘yeah’, so I was like ‘alright’. From watching him on TV, watching videos of him actually playing, to playing against him and getting his shirt, it was surreal for me.”

It was a change of tact for Messi, who had previously said: “I don’t ask for shirts, I usually swap them, but I asked [Zinedane] Zidane once. If there is an Argentine I swap it with him, but, unless someone asks me, I’m not asking anyone.”