The Liverpool legend says his comments on Messi’s move to PSG sparked a hilarious reaction from the Argentine icon.
Lionel Messi left Barcelona after 21 years to join Paris Saint-Germain last summer. The 34-year-old is yet to find his feet at Parc des Princes, struggling to regain his best form amid fitness problems.
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher was among the observers who predicted Messi’s integration would not be easy at the Ligue 1 side. The Sky Sports pundit was not convinced by either Messi’s move to PSG or Cristiano Ronaldo’s sensational return to Manchester United.
Carragher and Gary Neville picked their teams of the year on Friday during their conversation before Norwich’s3-0 win over Watford. Having snubbed Messi of a spot, Carragher made a hilarious confession about a message he received from the Argentine.
“He’s not happy with you is he, Messi?” Neville asked.
Carragher: “No, he’s not happy with me at all,
“I had a little pop at Ronaldo early in the season. I didn’t think it was a great signing for United. And I said the example of Messi. I didn’t think Messi was a great signing for PSG…”
He added: “It was on Monday Night Football and I got a private message on Instagram…”
“From the man himself?” Presenter David Jones asked.
Carragher: “From the man himself. I will not be showing private messages, but he basically called me a donkey,
“He watches Monday Night Football, so hopefully he’s watching Friday Night Football as well, because Lionel I absolutely love you. The greatest player of all time – and compared to you, I was a donkey, I accept that. But you’re not getting into this team.
“You haven’t played well enough, even if you did win the Copa America in the summer. It’s not enough to leave my man out, Mo Salah.”
Carragher picked Mohamed Salah instead of Messi while also selecting Robert Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappe in his attack line.
Here are the full lineups of Carragher and Neville’s teams of the year.