REVEALED: Luis Diaz and Lionel Messi’s secret CONSPIRACY

Liverpool star Luis Diaz has revealed how a boyhood idol made his football dreams come true when they faced each other in an international match a few years ago.

The livewire Colombian has started the 2024/25 season in scintillating form, scoring five goals - including two against historic rivals Manchester United - and registering one assist for the Premier League leaders.

Diaz has also helped Arne Slot's side to secure maximum points from their first two matches in the UEFA Champions League, a competition that his hero excelled in by scoring a staggering 129 goals and winning the trophy four times with Barcelona.

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How Messi made Diaz's day

Diaz's icon is, of course, Lionel Messi - despite their respective countries being great rivals in the Copa America and World Cup qualifiers.

Among the Liverpool player's prized possessions when he was growing up in Colombia was a replica Argentina shirt printed with Messi's name and number.

Diaz delighted in fooling his friends and team-mates by telling them he had been given the garment by the great man himself, a plausible claim given how talented he was as a young footballer. It seemed entirely possible that the Colombian had met Messi.

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Lucho's tale was eventually rendered true, to some degree at least, when the pair eventually faced each other on the pitch.

"When he had to play against Messi, he told him about the shirt," said Adrian Magnoli, a football commentator for Meca TV in Argentina.

"Messi said to him, 'Bring me that shirt so I can sign it and give it back to you. Then a white lie becomes a reality.'"

Magnoli continued his anecdote by saying Diaz and Messi also swapped their match-worn shirts from a game between Colombia and Argentina, most likely a qualifying fixture ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Diaz also revealed the depth of his admiration for the Argentinian when he spoke to journalist Monica Jaramillo in 2022.

"I almost died, I almost told him 'I love you' and everything," laughed Lucho, recalling his first meeting with Messi.

"Honestly, he has always been my role model. My great idol was Ronaldinho, but since he has already retired, I could never face him.

"Messi signed my shirt ‘with affection for Luis’. My life is already set with that shirt. I also have Cristiano and Neymar’s. With those three, what more can I ask for?"

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