The story of Lionel Messi, the legendary Argentine footballer, asking to swap shirts with an opponent might seem unlikely, but it’s true. This incident happened during a match between Argentina and Curacao.
Loy Room, Curacao’s goalkeeper, shared his experience in an interview with Voetbalzone. He became widely recognized and praised as Messi’s “idol,” El Pulga, after this event.
Room mentioned that everyone desires Messi’s shirt, so he had little hope of getting it himself. Curacao’s captain, Cuco Martina, had expressed his desire for Messi’s shirt before the match, leading Room to consider swapping with Argentina’s goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, and forgetting about Messi.
During the match, Room made several saves against Messi. At half-time, he saw Messi nearby and seized the opportunity to ask for his shirt after the game. Messi agreed, but Room didn’t get his hopes up, assuming Messi probably made similar promises to others.
The second half saw Room’s impressive performance continue, preventing Messi from scoring further. Surprisingly, after the match, Messi approached Room, complimented his skills, and unexpectedly asked for Room’s shirt in return. Room was puzzled about why Messi would want his shirt.
Later, Room understood the significance when he learned from his Argentine teammate at Columbus Crew that Messi collects meaningful opponent shirts. Messi’s request was likely because Room’s shirt was from the game where Messi scored his 100th international goal. Room’s shirt probably holds a special place in Messi’s collection, representing a milestone in his illustrious career.
