Soccer leaves many stories to tell. Samuel Umtiti returned to Spotify Camp Nou, where he played so many times alongside Lionel Messi, but this time to watch and commentate on the Copa del Rey semifinal second leg against Atlético Madrid.
Although Barcelona was unable to turn the situation around despite winning 3-0 (3-4), a comical anecdote from the former Barça player with the ’10’ stole the show.
Umtiti recalls a funny moment with Messi at Barcelona
The French footballer and 2018 World Cup winner participated in the coverage of the match for DAZN France. There, he recalled his time at the Catalan club, where he played from 2016 to 2023 after arriving from Olympique Lyon.
Of course, one of his fondest memories at the club was when he scored his first goal and, to make it even more epic, he was assisted by Lionel Messi.
“My first goal at Barca was on a pass from Messi. I was so thrilled that I looked at him and said to myself: ‘Wow, I could tell my kids later on.’ I went to thank him, and he said to me: ‘It’s normal, no worries,’” Umtiti revealed.
In addition, Samuel shared that his bond with the Argentine transcended the soccer field and moved to the basketball court, but he didn’t think he shone as brightly there:
“Off the field, we played basketball, took shots, and bet money. He would always say to me: ‘Sam, do you want to play with me?’ I didn’t understand why at first, and later on I realized it was because I sucked so bad!‘” he said.
Leo and Samuel shared a locker room for five seasons, from the Frenchman’s arrival in 2016 to the Argentine’s departure in 2021 for PSG. They played 124 games together, winning 91 of them and seven titles.
Meanwhile, Umtiti has been officially retired since September 15, 2025. After terminating his contract with Barcelona in 2023 and a brief stint at Lille, persistent injuries (especially to his knee) forced him to hang up his boots at just 31 years of age.
Messi, for his part, continues his career at Inter Miami, after renewing his contract until December 2028. He is currently playing in the 2026 MLS season, where he has just secured his first victory after losing his debut against LAFC (3-0).
After beating Orlando City (2-4), Leo and Inter Miami’s next challenge will be on Saturday, March 7, against D.C. United away at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.
Read the full article here
