'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi put his majestic jersey collection on display for his Instagram followers three years ago. Unsurprisingly, the Argentine possesses the shirts of some of the greatest players in the game.
In this segment, we have analysed his collection and made some interesting observations.
Here are five such takeaways from Lionel Messi's jersey collection.
Note: The article was written in May 2017
5. Why are Messi's Barcelona shirts turned backside?
Messi is sponsored by Adidas and by the looks of it, the picture has been taken as part of an Adidas campaign or something similar, given that the 32-year-old is seen wearing a shirt by the global merchandising giant. All of Messi's Barcelona shirts, 3 to be precise, are hung in a manner with the backside facing the camera.
This is probably done to hide the Nike logo featured on all of these jerseys. Barcelona are sponsored by Adidas' most significant rivals – Nike – and as such, the three-striped brand will never allow their biggest rivals to feature in such an iconic picture.
Interestingly, Messi's Argentina jerseys, which are sponsored by Adidas, have their front facing the camera – which helps endorse the brand's iconic 'three-stripe' logo.
4. Pavel Nedved's shirt and the importance of the occasion
Pavel Nedved's shirt can be seen on display in a showcase on the roof of the room which houses Messi's enormous collection of shirts, along with the jerseys of Thierry Henry, Deco, Cesc Fabregas and others.
However, at first, you can't recall when the two played against each other. That is because the two haven't faced each other in a competitive match, least of all in the UEFA Champions League.
However, there is one instance when the two have taken to the field together, in a Joan Gamper trophy match in August of 2005. At the time, Lionel Messi was no household name and instead, was unheard of in most parts of the world.
It was that game against Fabio Capello's Juventus that he first showcased his brilliance to the world and caught the eye of one and all. Messi dazzled against the stars of Juventus and captivated those watching so much that Capello requested Barcelona if he could take the then 18-year-old on loan, while Inter Milan were ready to pay his buyout clause.
The diminutive Argentine received a standing ovation from the Camp Nou crowd while the Juventus manager declared that he had never seen a player that good at that age.
"In my entire life I have never seen a player of such quality and personality at such a young age, particularly wearing the 'heavy' shirt of one of the world's great clubs."
It is possibly after this match that Messi exchanged jerseys with the 2003 Ballon d'Or winner.
3. Notable absentees
A quick look at the picture would tell you that many household names from the world of football, including legendary Barcelona players, are missing.
Messi is understood to be close friends with Neymar and has always shared an excellent relationship with Xavi and Andres Iniesta. However, the trio's shirts are nowhere to be seen in the collection, which is somewhat surprising.
Additionally, Ronaldinho, who helped Messi settle into the Barcelona dressing room, is another notable absentee.
In an interview in 2017, the Barcelona sensation had claimed that he is not particularly fond of exchanging jerseys and has rarely asked an opposition player for their shirt, barring one occasion.
“I don’t ask for shirts. If there is an Argentine, I will swap with an Argentine. If not and there is someone else that asks me, I will swap it with them. If not, I do not look and do not ask. I asked, once. I asked Zidane.”
Despite conceding that Zidane is the only footballer he asked to swapped shirts with, his jersey is nowhere to be seen in the majestic collection. Maybe Zizou didn't oblige Messi's request?
Other notable absentees include former Barcelona teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic and compatriot Gonzalo Higuain.
2. Why is Cristiano Ronaldo not there?
A rivalry that has defined an era, two god-gifted footballers who have re-written history books in a decade of absolute dominance, while pushing each other to their absolute limits. It is not that surprising that Cristiano Ronaldo's jersey is not present in Messi's collection, but why is it not there?
It is not like the duo are sworn enemies as the media would have you believe, but it is also not that they are the best of friends. They respect each other's work and aspire to be the best at what they do. Even this doesn't answer why Ronaldo's jersey is nowhere to be seen.
Well, the answer to that lies in the statement that Messi gave about swapping shirts. He has never asked a player, barring Zidane, for their jersey. They may not be enemies, but then again they don't fancy each other so much also, apart from Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. who is reportedly a Messi fan.
The answer to the question of why Ronaldo does not feature in Messi's majestic collection is because the duo have never actually exchanged jerseys. And to be fair, why would they?
1. Pablo Aimar
In the first row of jerseys, between two Messi shirts (i.e. between the orange Barcelona one and the blue Barcelona one) is the jersey of Pablo Aimar.
The wizard, as he was nicknamed, is not the most popular player around. However, Aimar's shirt is part of Messi's shirt decorated collection.
The Argentine was Messi's idol growing up. While the six-time Ballon d'Or winner might have outdone his hero, football is a game of emotions and it is clear that holds a special place in his heart.
