Lionel Messi has scored against some of the greatest goalkeepers ranging from Manuel Neuer and Gianluigi Buffon to Iker Casillas and Thibaut Courtois, but that’s not the debate here.
Although scoring 863 career goals and winning everything in football, the Argentine forward has not netted against a few goalkeepers, who could have laurels to their names.
After having a look. we have listed seven keepers, who Messi faced and missed out on the score sheet.
Shay Given
Even though the clash was a friendly in 2010, Given did not shy away from calling Messi the “best player to ever grace the planet”.
Despite Argentina winning the match 1-0, with Angel Di Maria scoring, La Pulga could not find the net against the former Newcastle United keeper.
Danijel Subasic
Argentina had a day to forget in the World Cup 2018, as the Croatian stopper closed all doors and succeeded in grabbing a clean sheet.
Even though the South American side forgot their shooting boot, Croatia won 3-0 in the group stage, in what was the only meeting between the two players.
Tim Howard
Another goalkeeper who hails Messi as one of the best players ever faced, Tim Howard had come out successful not once but twice.
The two players went head to head on two separate occasions, both friendlies, between 2008 and 2011, where at the final whistle, the 8-time Ballon d’Or winner did not find the back of the net.
Later, Howard told NBC “You know, I remember playing against him and he’s…almost impossible, impossible to prepare for because the angles and the pace and the way he hits balls,”
“You’re hoping that it’s, you know, one of those days where you have a really good day and your reactions are sharp and he has a really off day because otherwise there is no advice to give a goalkeeper because it’s just he’s that good.”
Gianluigi Donnarumma
The Italian goalkeeper was Messi’s former teammate for two years at PSG, but on the International stage, the PSG player still has the upper hand.
Having one famous fixture the 2022 Finalissima between the two, where the Argentine was running the show with two assists, but still couldn’t get past the tall man.
Samir Handanovic
Inter Milan has always been a minefield walk for Barcelona and Messi, so there is no surprising factor to not scoring against Handanovic.
The former Barcelona no.10 faced the Nerazzurri on four different occasions in the Champions League, but still missed to find a shot at the back of the net.
Even though the Slovenian goalkeeper played in one of those fixtures the Argentine only managed to provide an assist, to Suarez for an 84th-minute winner.
Victor Valdes
Valdes was Messi’s team-mate for 10 long years during his time at Barcelona, where he could have scored numerous goals against the Spaniard in training.
During one of their clashes on the International stage in 2010, the Argentine could not find a way past his club team-mate.
In the end, Messi had the last say as his side won 4-1 that night. However, the one twist in the tale was, that Pepe Reina was the second-half goalkeeper when the Inter Miami star scored, while Valdes was taken off due to some unknown reason.
Though, in the Argentine’s entire career that was the only time he played against Valdes.
Julio Cesar
The Brazilian boasts the better record in the list, against Messi compared to any of the goalkeepers in football history. This is because the Argentine failed to score on five occasions against him.
Two meetings were on the International stage while the other three were Champions League fixtures.
Moreover, Cesar’s best saves are denying Messi, as the Catalan side where pushing to score one more goal to enter the 2010 Champions League final, but could not get past the Inter goalkeeper.
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