Lionel Messi’s record against English clubs and players
Lionel Messi will face England for the first time ever in the 2026 World Cup semi-final.
The 39-year-old has a storied international career, playing 205 times for Argentina, with not a single one of them coming against the Three Lions. If Argentina lose on Wednesday, it’s highly likely England will be the nation who end the great man’s international career.
He has, however, played against English teams several times in the Champions League during his time at Barcelona and PSG, and quite frankly has an absurd record against some of the Premier League’s best.
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Arsenal
- Games: 6
- Wins: 4
- Draws: 1
- Losses: 1
- Goals: 9
- Assists: 1
Lionel Messi has played against Arsenal six times in the Champions League.
Across those games he has scored nine times, including one four goal haul in the 2009/10 quarter-finals.
He was only on the losing side once in 2011, winning four of his clashes with the Gunners and drawing one.
Chelsea
- Games: 10
- Wins: 2
- Draws: 6
- Losses: 2
- Goals: 3
- Assists: 3
Arsenal’s London rivals are one of Messi’s least favourite English clubs to face. Across 10 games, he only won twice, his first game against them in 2006 and his last game against them in 2018. Whilst he did not lose much, he drew six of the 10 games.
The game in 2018 was a last 16 clash in the Champions League, with the first leg at Stamford Bridge being the first time that he had scored against the Blues in his career.
Of course Messi was on the pitch for Fernando Torres’ famous goal which coincided with the birth of Gary Neville’s “ooooohhhh”’s.
Liverpool
- Games: 4
- Wins: 2
- Draws: 0
- Losses: 2
- Goals: 2
- Assists: 0
Messi will have some of his best footballing memories, and some his worst against Liverpool.
When they faced off in the 2018/19 Champions League semi-final, Messi scored a brace in the first leg, with his second being a stunning free-kick that brought up his 600th career goal.
However, the return leg saw Liverpool overturn the three goal deficit and advance to the final in Madrid, with Messi being involved in several altercations with Andy Robertson throughout the match.
Manchester City
- Games: 8
- Wins: 6
- Draws: 0
- Losses: 2
- Goals: 7
- Assists: 2
Messi first played Man City in 2014 in the knockout stage of the Champions League, where he scored home and away.
In 2017, the first time he faced off against Pep Guardiola, he scored a hat-trick as Barcelona ran out 4-0 winners.
Then in 2021, he scored his first PSG goal against Man City in a group game at the Parc des Prince.
Manchester United
- Games: 6
- Wins: 4
- Draws: 1
- Losses: 1
- Goals: 4
- Assists: 0
Perhaps one of Messi’s most memorable performances was against Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final.
At the home of English football, he ran the show from minute one, making a very good defender in Rio Ferdinand look very average.
He had also done so in Rome in 2009, where he scored what is probably his most famous header to help Barcelona win the Champions League.
Tottenham
- Games: 2
- Wins: 1
- Draws: 1
- Losses: 0
- Goals: 2
- Assists: 0
When Messi faced Tottenham for the first time, they were playing out of Wembley Stadium while they waited for their new stadium to be built.
Of course he had previous there, with a stunning performance in the 2011 Champions League final against Man United, but he once again made the home of English football his own with a fine display, capped off with two goals.
When Tottenham visited the Camp Nou, they held out for a draw, which was enough to send them through second in the group.
Which members of the current England squad have played against Messi?
Several members of England’s squad have played against Messi during his career.
John Stones has played against him the most, making four appearances for Man City against Messi.
Harry Kane played in both games as Tottenham faced Barcelona in the group stages of the 2018/19 Champions League.
Marcus Rashford played for Manchester United as they took on Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the competition that year.
Jordan Henderson was Liverpool captain the night they overturned the 4-0 deficit in the semi-finals.
Then in 2023 whilst on loan at Rennes, Djed Spence featured in a famous away win against PSG. Spence himself only played 78 minutes before being subbed off. He played at right-back behind Desire Doue, who now plays, and stars in PSG’s attack.
