“He’s not just the player we all see” - Angola captain Fredy reveals how Lionel Messi reacted to him asking for shirt swap during toss before match

Angola captain Fredy has revealed that Lionel Messi swiftly agreed to give him the match-worn jersey when he made the request during the toss. He said that the Argentine captain was humble and was open to talking during the match as well.

Speaking to Tribal Football, Fredy said that Angola players wanted Messi's jersey, but they did not fight over it. They wanted to meet the Inter Miami captain at the hotel before the match, but it was not possible because of the security and said:

"Not really. At the hotel, many of us asked if we could have a moment with him before the game, but the level of security was very high, everything was extremely tightly controlled, to avoid that riot of players asking for things and bothering us. Unfortunately, it wasn't possible to have that contact with Messi or with other players before the game."

"There was a lot of separation in the hotel; some of them crossed paths, but it was only a matter of seconds. Everyone wanted to have that moment, of course, and I took the opportunity right at the coin toss to ask him. But yes, it was something everyone would have liked to have experienced."

When asked how Messi responded to his request at the time of the toss, Fredy replied:

"The moment I spoke to him, he showed incredible humility. You really realise that he's not just the player we all see, but also an extraordinary person. He was very open and available. Even during the game... he always remained calm, always with a smile. It was great to see that."

Lionel Messi scored and assisted in the 2-0 win over Angola in November.

Fredy has hid Lionel Messi's jersey from friends

Angola captain Fredy has said that he has locked away Lionel Messi's jersey and has not shown it to his friends. He added that it was a special memory for him and told Tribal Football:

"The shirt is clean and under lock and key. Many of my friends even joke: 'When I come to your house, you'd better keep it safe.' But it's safe. It's a special memory. The moment itself is eternal, but to have had the privilege of exchanging shirts with Messi is something unique."

Lionel Messi played a key role in Argentina qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but has yet to confirm if he will be at the tournament next summer.