In a remarkable revelation, former Real Madrid player and manager, Zinedine Zidane, has shared the story of his first encounter with Lionel Messi, and it's a tale that still feels surreal.

Zidane crossed paths with Messi both as a player for Real Madrid and later as the coach of the team. Their first meeting took place on November 23, 2005, during a UEFA Champions League group stage match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the iconic Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona.

At the time, Messi was a mere 18-year-old, gradually making his mark as a pivotal player in Barcelona's squad. Zidane, on the other hand, was in the twilight of his career at the age of 33, donning the Real Madrid jersey.

Reflecting on that encounter, Zidane recollected, "In the years 2004-2005, when we were preparing to face Barcelona in El Clásico, our focus was on players like Ronaldinho, Deco, Xavi, and Eto'o. However, Ronaldo [Nazário] mentioned his concern about a 16-year-old kid named Messi. We thought Ronaldo was praising him just because they were both Latinos."