• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
11-year-old kid completed life by playing football on holiday with Lionel Messi

Home> Football> Football News

Published 12:28 27 Jul 2023 GMT+1

11-year-old kid completed life by playing football on holiday with Lionel Messi

Mackenzie O'Neill, from London, played football with Lionel Messi in a surreal experience.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

An 11-year-old youngster had the experience of a lifetime when he played football with the one and only Lionel Messi on holiday.

Mackenzie O'Neill, from London, was playing football on the beach by himself in the stunning Caribbean island Jumby Bay in Antigua.

He holidays at that very same beach every year but one occasion saw him complete life with the ultimate flex.

Advert

Messi, Barcelona and Argentina's record goalscorer, was staying with his friends and family. It was just after the 2019 Copa America, where La Albiceleste were beaten 2-0 by Brazil in the semi-final.

Messi's father and agent, Jorge, spotted Mackenzie playing with a ball on the sand on his own and promptly invited him to join in with the footballing superstar and his eldest son Thiago.

"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.

Advert

"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."

Image: Instagram
Image: Instagram

Mackenzie didn't get too have too much conversation with Messi because of the language barrier but he did get translation through his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and ended up spending a fair bit of time with the Messi clan.

Advert

We've all made best friends on holiday - spending every minute with them before never hearing from them again even if you got their MSN or BBM pin.

Mackenzie happened to become mates with the son of the greatest ever player and ended up going swimming with his new crew.

"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.

Advert

"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."

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

Just imagine being able to tell all your mates at school? And then of course it's definitely one for the grandkids later in life. An insane story.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram

Topics: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami, MLS, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and WWE. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has covered two WrestleMania events for SPORTbible.

X

@joshlawless_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

4 mins ago
22 mins ago
2 hours ago
  • 4 mins ago

    Xabi Alonso has found the new Luka Modric for Real Madrid and it could be the signing of the summer

    The Real Madrid boss could be set to replace the veteran midfielder, who will leave the club later this summer.

    Football
  • 22 mins ago

    Odds slashed on Lionel Messi's next club as clear favourite emerges after huge news drops on Inter Miami star's future

    Lionel Messi has been linked with a move away from Inter Miami.

    Football
  • 2 hours ago

    Xabi Alonso's new formation for Trent Alexander-Arnold experiment could end one Real Madrid career

    The former Bayer Leverkusen boss is implementing some major changes at Real Madrid.

    Football
  • 2 hours ago

    Ollie Watkins has made his feelings clear on Man Utd as Aston Villa star targeted for stunning transfer

    The Aston Villa forward has been linked with a shock move to Man United this summer.

    Football
  • Lionel Messi Spotted At Everyone's Favourite Ibiza Venue Enjoying Some Filthy Techno
  • MLS records Lionel Messi will be looking to break in the 2023 season
  • Lionel Messi gesture to teammate after Inter Miami win sums him up
  • Footage shows Atlanta United player trying to get Lionel Messi's shirt, he already gave it away