Lionel Messi's cold response when asked if he could do it 'on a cold windy night in Stoke'

Lionel Messi offered a swift but cold response when asked how he would fare on 'a cold windy night at Stoke'.

Despite his seven Ballon d'Ors and talismanic triumphant World Cup campaign last year, there is still a strange view from some that Messi wouldn't be able to do it in the toughest conditions.

The aforementioned phrase became one of the biggest football cliches and a strange stick to beat Messi with when we are talking about one of, if not, the very best to play the beautiful game.

Messi never played in England but scored 26 goals in 36 appearances against sides in the Premier League, including the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

His move to Inter Miami in the MLS means he will never come up against the mighty Stoke City, who caused chaos for teams at the peak under Tony Pulis.

But while the question won't be answered officially, Messi has already given his take. He was asked the burning question by Spanish journalist Guillem Balague back in 2018 for the Euro Leagues Show, with Messi simply replying, "They should have seen the pitches in Rosario I used to play in, and I was quite good there too.”

Image: Getty

Messi tore it up on horrific, muddy turf playing for his boyhood club Newell's Old Boys and could easily replicate his brilliance on concrete.

Rory Delap was a staple of that iconic Stoke side with his giant throw-ins, which were so much of a threat that sometimes goalkeepers would prefer conceding a corner instead.

But he has no doubts whatsoever about Messi doing the business at the Bet365 Stadium, formerly the Britannia.

“I don't think so, I don't think so. No, I think the thing you saw with the top players, we made it hard for teams but we never got a result," he told SPORTbible exclusively.

“Against United, they were the top team at the time. With Sir Alex Ferguson, he'd seen it all before with the Wimbledons and the teams of that era. So, you know, he set the team up to go and win and I think they won every game when I was at Stoke so I think the top players don't let stuff like that affect them. Arsenal were a great side at that time, maybe it got to them a bit.

“Chelsea, we always struggled against Chelsea. They were the top three teams at that stage. They never really struggled with the cold, wet night there. So you're talking about Messi and players like that, I think they're just elite. They're another level. It doesn't matter where they go, they will perform.”

Topics: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami, MLS, Premier League, Stoke City, Barcelona

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. 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 interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

@joshlawless_