Lionel Messi has faced Manchester City countless times throughout his career, both with Barcelona and later Paris Saint-Germain. Before leaving Barcelona, he was even linked to the English club due to his strong relationship with Pep Guardiola.
There’s no question that Messi is one of the greatest players in the world, even playing outside the major European leagues since joining Inter Miami in mid-2023. But until now, he hadn’t been compared to a science-fiction supervillain—something former Manchester City defender Joe Lescott did recently.
Lescott, who played for City from 2009 to 2014 and retired in June 2017 after a stint with Sunderland, recalled one of his encounters with the Argentine captain during his Barcelona days. Comparing Messi to Spanish midfielder David Silva, Lescott highlighted how tough it was to go up against the superstar.
“He was like David Silva, but on steroids. He must see the game so slowly and so clearly… There was a moment when my confidence was sky-high defending 1-on-1, you know what you have to do. He must see the game that way—he sees the full picture of every person and every detail,” Lescott said.
He recounted the moment he decided to challenge Messi directly: “I’m thinking, he’s better than me in everything, but he’s not stronger than me. ‘Okay, I’ll hit him.’ And I did, I hit him on the back. He went ‘huff’ and literally held me on his back. I thought, ‘Oh my God, you’re strong too? You have everything,’” he exclaimed.
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After praising Messi’s physical and technical abilities, Lescott compared the Argentine to a supervillain known for overwhelming strength. “He’s like Thanos from the Avengers,” he said on the Beast Mode One podcast.
Lescott’s Manchester City career
Lescott joined Manchester City after a three-year spell at Everton (2006–2009). During five seasons with the club, he played 160 matches, scored nine goals, provided four assists, and helped City secure four major trophies. He won the Premier League in 2012 and 2014, lifted the FA Cup in 2010–11, and claimed the 2014 Capital One Cup.
