The English goalkeeper whom Lionel Messi claimed to be not 'human'

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Lionel Messi, one of football's greatest-ever players, has encountered many top-tier goalkeepers throughout his illustrious career. While most have struggled to keep him at bay, a few have made a lasting impression on the World Cup winner.

Among these is Fraser Forster, currently with Tottenham Hotspur, whose performances against Messi's Barcelona in the Champions League group stage in 2012/13 remain unforgettable. Fraser Forster's standout performance came during his time at Celtic. In the Champions League group stage, Celtic faced Barcelona in a challenging double-header.

After narrowly losing 2-1 at the Nou Camp, Celtic welcomed the Catalan giants to Parkhead a few weeks later. It was in this match that Forster truly stood out, delivering a goalkeeping masterclass that left Messi and his teammates frustrated.

Despite Barcelona dominating possession with 89% and having 23 attempts on goal, Forster made an astounding 13 saves, leading Celtic to a historic 2-1 victory. Messi managed only a consolation goal in the 90th minute. Forster's heroics earned him the nickname "The Great Wall of Glasgow" and left a significant impression on Messi.

Speaking about the match, Messi said: “The performance of Fraser Forster against us was talked about for a long time. There was one game in Scotland when he was not human, it was the best goalkeeping performance I have seen."

Messi revealed that Forster’s exceptional display had even sparked discussions within Barcelona about potentially signing him.

"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 added.

Following his impressive stint at Celtic, Forster moved to Southampton in 2014, where he made 162 appearances. He briefly returned to Celtic for the 2019/20 season, continuing to display his goalkeeping prowess. His performances earned him six caps for the England national team.

In 2022, Forster joined Tottenham Hotspur, where he has since made 21 appearances across all competitions.