sportbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

11-Year Old Kid From London Plays Football With Lionel Messi On Holiday

11-Year Old Kid From London Plays Football With Lionel Messi On Holiday

As far as holidays go, it simply cannot get any better...

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Imagine lying relaxing by the beach on your holiday and you see the world's greatest player having a kickabout with his family? Well that's what happened to 11-year old London schoolboy Mackenzie O'Neill.

The youngster ended up playing beach football with the one and only Lionel Messi when in the stunning Caribbean island Jumby Bay in Antigua, where the footballing superstar was staying with his friends and family to relax after the disappointing Copa America tournament.

The kid holidays at the same beach every year but this was clearly a trip like no other. Messi's father Jorge spotted Mackenzie playing with a ball on the sand on his own and promptly invited him to join in with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner and his eldest son Thiago, six.

Image: Instagram
Image: Instagram

"Messi was with his family on the beach. I was on my own and began to kick my ball a few feet from where they were," Mackenzie told Argentine newspaper Ole.

"His dad Jorge threw a ball to me and asked if I wanted to play with them and then we played football with Thiago and Messi for 45 minutes.

"Thiago is a fantastic player for his age and wasn't shy about playing. Playing with Messi was incredible."

Mackenzie didn't get too have too much conversation with the Barcelona and Argentina skipper because of the language barrier but he did get translation through the 32-year old's wife Antonella Roccuzzo and ended up spending a fair bit of time with the Messi clan.

"Messi's wife translated because she speaks English very well. Later on I ended up swimming with Messi and we went out on a little boat and spent a lot of time in the water," he added, as per Evening Standard.

"He lifted me up on his shoulders and Thiago followed me wherever I went. Playing with Leo in the water was great fun. He acted like a normal dad. I also realised that Messi really enjoyed seeing his son play with other children.

"The last night Messi and his family were here I was playing with Thiago and gave him my football to keep.

"But he ran after me along the beach and insisted I keep it. Afterwards Messi and his wife said goodbye to me with huge smiles. I am not going to forget them."

There's one to tell the grandkids...

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, FC Barcelona, Football, Lionel Messi holiday, Lionel Messi, Ballon d'Or, Argentina, Copa America, Holiday