"Counting years to see when I would be able to play with him" - Chelsea star opens up after fulfilling his dream of playing with Lionel Messi

Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez has opened up on fulfilling his dream of playing with Lionel Messi.

The midfielder had a memorable first half of the 2022-23 season, where he made a stark impression at SL Benfica and won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina.

Fernandez registered three goals and five assists in 24 games across competitions for Benfica before being selected by La Albiceleste to represent them in Qatar.

Fernandez played alongside Messi in all seven of Argentina's games at the World Cup, scoring and assisting a goal each. This wasn't the first time he got to play alongside the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Messi was on the pitch when Fernandez came on to make his Argentina debut in a 3-0 friendly win against Honduras in September 2022. Speaking recently on SportsCenter ESPN (h/t @AlbicelesteTalk on Twitter), the 22-year-old said:

"Playing with Messi is a dream. I was watching Leo on TV when he was playing for Barcelona and I would say 'I want to play with him' I was counting years to see when I would be able to play with him."

Fernandez's exploits at the 2022 FIFA World Cup saw him earn a British-record £106.8 million to Chelsea in January. He has since played three more times alongside the former Barcelona superstar in Argentine colors.

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Pundit unhappy with Pulisic not swapping Chelsea for MLS to follow in Lionel Messi's footsteps

USA legend Landon Donovan wasn't pleased with Christian Pulisic not joining MLS side LA Galaxy this summer.

The 24-year-old winger is reportedly close to joining AC Milan for a fee of €22 million. However, Donovan would have preferred if he followed in Lionel Messi's footsteps and joined an MLS team.

The former Everton forward told FOX Sports (h/t Footballtransfers.com):

"The World Cup is coming in three years. This is once in a lifetime. He’s going to be in the prime of his career, his life as a soccer player, his earning potential — I’m sure he’s making plenty of money — but the ability to come to MLS kind of like Messi did. I’m not so sure that wasn’t a big reason for Messi, the World Cup coming here."

He added:

“I think it would have been a great move for the Galaxy to go out and get Christian. Bring him here, pay whatever you have to pay him. Bring an American superstar who has global recognition back to MLS ahead of the World Cup. I think it would have been a great move and I can hear the Twitterverse going crazy.”

Lionel Messi signed an initial two-and-a-half-year deal with Inter Miami this summer as a free agent.