Lionel Messi swaps jersey with Real Madrid-linked Alphonso Davies, video surfaces

Real Madrid-linked Alphonso Davies swapped jerseys with Lionel Messi after Argentina defeated Canada 2-0 on June 20 to get their Copa America 2024 campaign underway. Despite not scoring, Messi was pivotal in La Albiceleste's win and provided two crucial assists.

Argentina started the match on the offensive from the very first minute. However, Davies and company held their ground and made it difficult for the men in blue and white to put anything past goalkeepr Maxime Crepeau.

After a goalless first half, the breakthrough finally came in the 49th minute as Julian Alvarez slotted a loose ball into an empty net. The move started with Messi providing a defense-splitting through ball from midfield which fell perfectly into the path of Alexis Mac Allister.

Although he was taken out by the Canadian goalkeeper, Alvarez was there to pick up the pieces as he scored Argentina's first goal in Copa America 2024.

Lionel Messi was crucial once again as he threaded yet another ball into the path of Lautaro Martinez inside the penalty box. The Inter Milan striker didn't flinch in front of the goal and made it 2-0 for Argentina in the 88th minute.

After the match, Alphonso Davies was seen swapping jerseys with Lionel Messi. The Real Madrid transfer target has openly stated his love for Messi in the past and didn't miss an opportunity to get the Argentine maestro's jersey.

Argentina will face Chile in their next Copa America fixture on June 25 and wrap up the group stages with a game against Peru on June 29.

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Lionel Messi reveals the Real Madrid player who angered him the most

FC Barcelona v Real Madrid - Copa del Rey semi-final (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Lionel Messi was Real Madrid's biggest nightmare for 17 long seasons while he was at Barcelona. However, the Argentine maestro also came across players whom he found annoying in the Los Blancos dugout.

In an interview on the Abitare podcast, the 36-year-old revealed that Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos was the player who angered him the most.

"We had many clashes with Sergio Ramos: how many times did I argue, He is the player who made me feel the most angry. Then we were team-mates, but we always clashed in the Clasico: they were intense matches," Messi said.

Ironically, both players would go on to play together at Paris Saint-Germain after their time with Barcelona and Real Madrid came to an end. The Spanish World Cup winner has also hailed Lionel Messi as the greatest player football has ever produced despite sharing the same dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo for several years.