Wojciech Szczesny, the former Arsenal and Juventus goalkeeper now playing for Barcelona, has revealed that Lionel Messi was the only player who truly intimidated him on the pitch. Throughout his impressive 15-year career, Szczesny has faced numerous top talents, but the Argentine forward stood out as a unique challenge.
Messi, often hailed as one of the greatest footballers of all time, boasts an incredible record of 672 goals in 778 appearances for Barcelona, along with ten La Liga titles and four Champions League victories. With eight Ballon d’Or awards to his name, Messi’s accolades extend to his international career, where he won the World Cup in 2022 and the Copa America in 2021.
In an interview with Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Szczesny stated, “I was always scared to play against Leo. 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.”
Reflecting on a memorable moment from the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Szczesny mentioned that saving a penalty from Messi was one of the most gratifying achievements of his career. “The most satisfying save was Messi’s penalty in the World Cup, but it wasn’t the best save in my career. The stadium and the rival made that moment very special for me.”
After making 181 appearances for Arsenal and winning two FA Cups, Szczesny joined Juventus in 2017, where he lifted three Serie A titles and five domestic trophies. Following his release from the club at the end of the last season, Szczesny briefly announced his retirement but soon returned to football when Barcelona reached out due to an injury to their starting goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen.
Discussing his unexpected move to the Nou Camp, Szczesny shared, “When I received the call from Barca, when it became a reality, it felt different. The privilege I feel to wear this shirt is what made me change my mind, and nothing else. I don’t think I would have done it for another club. It was probably fate.”
Barcelona has enjoyed a strong start to the season under manager Hansi Flick, winning eight of their first nine league matches and currently sitting at the top of La Liga.
