'I Also Got Messi's Shirt' - Balogun Lifts Lid On Meeting With Barcelona Striker After Defeat To Argentina

Published: May 09, 2020

Brighton & Hove central defender Leon Balogun has confessed that he swapped jerseys with Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi in the wake of Nigeria's 2-1 loss to Argentina at the 2018 World Cup.

It was earlier thought that only Heartland goalie Ikechukwu Ezenwa collected a souvenir from the Argentina number 10 as he made his way to the tunnel, something which was heavily criticized by majority of Super Eagles fans because of the painful defeat to the South American powerhouse.

Balogun was full of kind words for Messi, labeling the Ballon d'Or record holder a humble and nice player despite his achievements in football.

Asked to choose between Messi and his greatest rival Cristiano Ronaldo, Balogun said on Instagram Live : "I'll go for Messi, I didn't face him too many times at the World Cup, like two or three times. When we met together, I managed to get the ball from him, it was amazing.

"I actually spoke to him after the game and he seems to be a really nice guy, we swapped jerseys as well. I know everybody assumed Ikechukwu Ezenwa waited in the tunnel to get the shirt but I also got one.

"I felt very fortunate to speak to him, play against him and he seems to be a really humble guy. Took a selfie, even though he just beat us but I didn't care because the game was over.

"I was very sad but that actually made me happy because even as a football professional you can still be a fan and I am."

In the game staged in St. Petersburg, Argentina were on the brink of elimination after Victor Moses converted a penalty won by Balogun, only for Marcos Rojo to score a late winner.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Copyright ANS

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from allnigeriasoccer.com