Lionel Messi, the Argentine football icon, has singled out a Premier League goalkeeper for what he considers the most extraordinary goalkeeping he’s ever witnessed, going so far as to call it “superhuman”.
Messi, who has left many goalkeepers in his wake, was the reason Budweiser honored 144 keepers in 2020 with commemorative beers for having conceded goals to him during his tenure at Barcelona.
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Among those honored was Fraser Forster, who let in a goal from Messi during Barcelona’s 2-1 victory at Celtic Park in 2012.
Forster was also the last line of defense in the subsequent match, which Barcelona clinched 2-1 courtesy of a last-minute strike from Jordi Alba.
Yet, it was Forster’s remarkable performance as goalkeeper that left a lasting impression on Messi, a seven-time Ballon d’Or recipient, who revealed that Forster was once considered for recruitment by the Catalan giants.
“The performances of Fraser Forster against us were talked about for a long time,” Messi said, as per the Daily Star.
“There was one game in Scotland where he was not human, it is the best goalkeeping performance I have seen.”
“When Victor Valdes said he was leaving we even talked about him playing here. I was sure he would end up at Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United.”
Messi’s only goal past Foster was a consolation goal in the 90th minute and the 35-year old was given the nickname ‘The Great Wall of Glasgow’ after making seven saves.
Forster transferred to Southampton from Celtic in 2014, where he made 162 appearances, and had a short loan spell back at Celtic during the 2019/20 season.
The English goalkeeper, who has been capped six times by the national team, signed with Tottenham Hotspur in 2022 and has since participated in 21 matches across various tournaments.
On December 6, 2023, Forster committed his future to Tottenham Hotspur by signing a new contract that extends his stay at the club until the summer of 2025.
