Lionel Messi once sent out Christmas gifts to 160 players including 13 Premier League stars

Lionel Messi, widely regarded as a footballing great, reportedly sent gifts to 160 players, including 13 from the Premier League, in the run-up to Christmas in 2020.

The gesture came after the legendary playmaker achieved a historic milestone by scoring his 644th goal for Barcelona, a feat that saw him surpass Pele's record for Santos.

In celebration of this achievement, Messi partnered with Budweiser to offer personalized beer bottles to the 160 goalkeepers he had scored against since 2005.

Among the Premier League players who were among the lucky recipients of these gifts were David De Gea, Hugo Lloris, Edwin van der Sar, Petr Cech, Joe Hart, Alisson, Fraser Forster, Willy Caballero, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Bernd Leno, Vicente Guaita, Adrian, and Matt Ryan.

Other notable goalkeepers included Diego Alves, formerly of Valencia, who received 21 bottles, the most of all the goalkeepers. Notably, Real Madrid legends Iker Casillas and Thibaut Courtois received 17 and 9 bottles, respectively.

Receiving a gift from Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players of all time, must have been a dream come true for these players.

The playmaker has a history of gift-giving and philanthropy, which is widely known around the football world and in his home country of Argentina. This gift-giving episode is just one example of Lionel Messi's enduring legacy in the football world.

In addition to setting records and winning numerous titles and individual awards, Messi has also left his mark off the pitch with his relationships with his fellow players. It's no wonder that he is considered one of the greatest to ever play the game.

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When will Lionel Messi return to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) following his World Cup win?

As the 2022 FIFA World Cup recedes into the past, fans and analysts are wondering when Argentine star Lionel Messi will return to PSG. According to a report from L'Equipe (via PSGTalk), there is currently no set date for Messi's return to the team.

This means that he will miss the Ligue 1 match against Strasbourg on Wednesday and the match against Lens on New Year's Day. There is also uncertainty about whether he will be available for the French Cup match against Chateauroux on January 6.

While it is possible that Messi could return to the pitch for the match against Angers on January 11, this has not been confirmed. In the meantime, PSG will have to rely on other players to lead the team as they continue their pursuit of success in Ligue 1 and other competitions.

The forward is still on vacation following his impressive run to the World Cup final, where Argentina triumphed over France.