"I turn around, and it was him, Messi" - Argentine actor recalls incident when PSG star Lionel Messi rescued him by becoming his driver

Argentine actor Ricardo Darin has narrated an anecdote about the night when PSG superstar Lionel Messi unexpectedly gave him a ride to his hotel on a cold night in Barcelona.

Messi is undoubtedly one of the greatest players of all time and one of the most popular Argentinians in the world. Darin, meanwhile, represents the South American country internationally with his work in cinema.

Interestingly, the two have been friends for the last several years despite being from different fields. Darin had breakfast with Messi and his family in 2015, with the then-Barcelona forward's partner Antonela Roccuzzo sharing an image with the actor on social media.

However, some have a tough time believing that Darin is friends with the PSG talisman. Looking back at such incidents, the 'Argentina, 1985' star recalled when a press assistant suspected he was telling the truth about his relationship with Messi.

Darin began by revealing that he was on his way back to his hotel after having an argument with some Barcelona fans about Messi on a radio show in Spain. The Buenos Aires-born actor recalled defending the left-footed maestro's recent performance on air.

"I was returning after fighting with some guys on radio because they were kind of angry with Messi for his performance," Darin said on ESPN Playroom (via Tyc Sports). "I told them 'You are going to wash your mouths with soap this weekend when he (Lionel Messi) scores three goals', and that weekend, he scored three goals."

As he tried to walk back to his hotel on that cold night in Barcelona, a press assistant accompanying him asked Darin the truth about his relationship with Lionel Messi. The conversation was interrupted, as the two struggled to find a taxi to return to their place of stay.

Darin went on to reveal how Messi surprisingly turned up at the scene in his vehicle and offered them a ride, leaving the press assistant stunned.

"Out of nowhere, with my back to the boulevard, I hear ‘Ricardo!’. I turn around, and it was him, Messi, in a van," Darin added.

Darin said that Messi was not even aware that the actor was in Spain at the time.

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PSG superstar Lionel Messi tips Ricardo Darin's 'Argentina, 1985' to win Oscar this year

Ricardo Darin's 'Argentina, 1985' was nominated for the award for the Best International Feature Award at the Academy Awards this year. PSG superstar Lionel Messi extended his support for the film and the actor, writing on Instagram:

"What a great movie 'Argentina, 1985' with Ricardo Darin and nominated on Oscar. Let’s go for the third!"

Despite the PSG forward's backing, the movie did not win the award, though.