"Playing against him was a dream for me" - Al-Ahly star details experience of playing against Lionel Messi in recent Club World Cup clash

Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy has revealed that it was a dream come true to play against Lionel Messi. The Egyptian goalkeeper came up against the Argentinean maestro in the recent FIFA Club World Cup fixture against Inter Miami, which ended 0-0.

La Pulga started the game, but failed to inspire the Herons to a win. El-Shenawy turned out to be the star of the show, making multiple saves in the second half.

Speaking recently, as cited by ysscores, El-Shenawy labeled Lionel Messi as one of the best players in the world.

"Messi is one of the best players in the world, and playing against him was a dream for me. I expected him to cross the ball, and I didn't expect him to shoot directly towards the goal, but I took all possibilities into account, and God helped me save it, which is why I was able to stop it," said El-Shenawy.

Inter Miami are preparing to face Porto at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Thursday, June 19, in their upcoming FIFA Club World Cup group stage tie. The Herons will need a win to better their chances of securing passage to the knockouts.

Lionel Messi, meanwhile, has registered 15 goals and six assists from 21 games across competitions this season for the Florida-based club. The Argentinean's contract runs out at the end of this year.

Will Lionel Messi visit India in December?

14 years since his first visit to the country, Lionel Messi is all set to step foot in India once again in December this year, according to The Telegraph. The diminutive magician will apparently visit three cities in the country - Kolkata, Delhi, and Mumbai.

However, the 37-year-old won't feature in a football match, but is likely to give spectators in the City of Joy a taste of his skills from the penalty spot. Interestingly, Messi last visited Kolkata in 2011, when he was part of the Argentina team that played a friendly match against Venezuela.

La Pulga will apparently be felicitated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the Eden Gardens on December 13. A seven-a-side 'GOAT Cup' will also be held at the Stadium in the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's honour.

The Argentinean will take part in a workshop for children, while there are also plans to launch a football clinic. Similar events will also be held in Mumbai, while Messi is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.

About the author

Deepungsu is a veteran football journalist who has been covering daily transfer roundups and news for over seven years at Sportskeeda. He has written more than 9000 articles for the website, and has garnered over 20 million reads.

Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer's Wikipedia page.

Inspired by Diego Maradona, Deepungsu played as an attacking midfielder for his local club at subdivision level in his initial years and scored an important goal or two. However, his all-time favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and evidently, he feels Argentina's glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment for fulfilling his long-standing dream. He is also an ardent East Bengal fan.

Deepungsu has been a Manchester United supporter since the year 2000. Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scotsman helped him get through some of the toughest days of his life. Like the fiery Scot, Deepungsu also leaves no stone unturned when it comes to accuracy in articles and only relies on credible sources.

Despite believing in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to create an iconic rivalry, Deepungsu reckons no one can match the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo. He spends his leisure time writing about life on his blog, reading books, and playing the guitar.

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Edited by Deepungsu Pandit