Leeds United star Wilfried Gnonto left speechless – ‘I couldn’t actually speak’
Leeds United star Wilfried Gnonto has revealed that an encounter with his idol Lionel Messi left him speechless.
The Italian forward met the 37-year-old before he signed for the Whites as Messi inspired Argentina to a 3-0 victory in the 2022 Finalissima.
He was only 18 years old and had been called up to the national team for the first time and although he never made it onto the pitch, it was still a very memorable day for Gnonto.
The 21-year-old revealed that he had met his idol in an interview with Sky Sports [17 December], saying: “I have, yes, with the national team once, when we played in Wembley, but I couldn’t actually speak to him, I was so shy. I couldn’t move.”
The Whites winger confessed that he is always looking to improve his game seeking to copy the former Barcelona star, saying: “I watch a lot of football. Messi, growing up, was my idol. I used to watch his videos every time. I tried to replicate, even if it was impossible, what he was doing.”
Gnonto admission is a positive for Leeds United
Gnonto also confessed that is it not just the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner that he takes inspiration from as he seeks to improve his game from watching a lot of football.
His admission should be music to the ears of Whites supporters, the fact he is always looking for ways to improve his game can only be a positive thing.
The Italian has already exceeded his assist tally of three from last season and is halfway to matching his goal tally through 21 matches.
He is a vital part of Daniel Farke’s attack in their promotion push and his form will be key in the latter stages of the season.
If his game keeps improving, he could fire the Elland Road club back to the Premier League in the near future.
In other Leeds news, they could be given a major boost as a star player could be set to leave a promotion rival in the January transfer window.
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