In 2015, Lionel Messi performed one of the most famous pieces of skill witnessed in the modern era of football.
During a Champions League semi-final first leg between Barcelona and Bayern Munich, the little magician left poor ol’ Jerome Boateng in a crumpled heap on the turf.
Messi’s lightning-quick dribble and superhuman-like change of direction saw the German defender lose the 1v1 duel in quite spectacular fashion.
Boateng was left on his backside as Messi danced past him and then chipped the ball over Manuel Neuer with his weaker right foot to put Barcelona 2-0 up.
The Blaugrana eventually went on to win 3-0 at Camp Nou thanks to Neymar‘s late goal.
Boateng’s humiliation at the hands of Messi that night in May of 2015 is something most football fans will never, ever forget – and rightly so.
It will forever be an iconic moment and one of the Champions League’s greatest ever goals.
Video: Messi vs Boateng in 2015
But just over two years earlier, it was Messi who was on the receiving end of some individual embarrassment from a Bayern player.
When the Bundesliga outfit and Barcelona locked horns for a Champions League semi-final first leg in April of 2013, Franck Ribery had Messi on toast in a 1v1 duel.
In a match Bayern emphatically won 4-0 at the Allianz Arena, the French wizard made his opponent sit down near the edge of box in a manner not too dissimilar to that of Boateng.
Sure, Ribery’s dribble didn’t directly lead to a legendary solo goal, but it was still a snippet of genius and Messi was made to feel like many of his footballing victims from down the years.
Video: Ribery left Messi on his backside in 2013
He was pretty darn good at football in his prime was Franck.
The 2012/13 season was one of the Frenchman’s best in Bayern colours and he was key to the team winning the treble under Jupp Heynckes’ leadership.
In his 43 appearances across all competitions, Ribery scored 11 goals and recorded a whopping 23 assists.
Ribery has stated on numerous occasions that he should of won the 2013 Ballon d’Or award as a result of his heroic efforts in Bayern’s treble-winning campaign.
Instead, it was Cristiano Ronaldo who triumphed in the voting, with Messi finishing as the runner-up.
“It was unfair, it was an incredible season for me and I should have won it,” Ribery told La Gazzetta dello Sport. They extended the time for votes, and something strange happened. I felt that it was a political choice.”
Source: msn.com