BEN CHILWELL was left staggered by Lionel Messi’s skill when he “wasn’t even trying” in a friendly against Barcelona in 2016.
Off the back of their fairytale Premier League title, Leicester were invited to the International Champions Cup pre-season tournament and faced the LaLiga giants in Stockholm.
A young Chilwell was given the runaround at Friends ArenaCredit: Getty – Contributor
Messi didn’t score but his Barcelona side came out victoriousCredit: Reuters
Luis Suarez got on the scoresheet as Barcelona won 4-2 but it was Messi, who left-back Chilwell attempted to mark, that caused him problems.
It led the England international to calling the 33-year-old the best player in the world in a chat with BBC Sport.
Chilwell recalled: “Messi, 100 per cent. Easy answer.
“It’s funny because some people say [Cristiano] Ronaldo, some say Messi. It’s such a divide over who is the best when they’re so different.
“You never really get starstruck but it was three years ago, it was a pre-season game against Barcelona.
“And he didn’t actually seem like he was interested at all to be there.
“The worst thing about it was you still couldn’t get near him when he had the ball. He was just so sharp, so good.
“It was just kind of demoralising to play against someone who wasn’t trying in the slightest and I still couldn’t get anywhere near him.”
Chilwell, only 19 when the sides met in Sweden, broke into the Leicester first-team the following year.
Now a regular in Brendan Rodgers’ side, the defender has become strongly linked with Chelsea in what would be a mega money summer transfer.
Ashley Cole tells old Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard to splash cash on Ben Chilwell after transfer ban lifted
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
