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Messi surprised by Iceland player who played with his father at Barcelona
🇦🇷 Argentina /Sports

Messi surprised by Iceland player who played with his father at Barcelona

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Lionel Messi was approached by Andri Guðjohnsen, son of former Barcelona player Eiður Guðjohnsen, after Argentina's 3-0 victory over Iceland.
  • Guðjohnsen reminded Messi that he played with his father at Barcelona, a detail Messi recalled vaguely.
  • The encounter occurred after Argentina's final preparatory match before the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Lionel Messi shared a surprising moment after Argentina's 3-0 win against Iceland when a player approached him with a personal connection. Andri Guðjohnsen, a 29-year-old forward for Iceland and Blackburn Rovers, reminded Messi that he had played with his father, Eiður Guðjohnsen, during Messi's time at Barcelona.

Messi admitted he was initially taken aback and didn't immediately recognize Guðjohnsen, stating he remembered seeing the elder Guðjohnsen around during training sessions but not the son. "He surprised me," Messi said, recalling the interaction with a laugh. "Then he told me he was Guðjohnsen's son. I told him I didn't remember... he was little."

The exchange was captured on camera, showing Messi's initial surprise evolving into a more affectionate embrace after Guðjohnsen's explanation. Andri Guðjohnsen, born in London, represents Iceland due to his father's heritage. His football career includes stints in the youth academies of Espanyol and Real Madrid, followed by moves to clubs in Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, and currently England.

This match was Argentina's final friendly before their 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where they are set to face Algeria on June 16th. The game, held at the Jordan-Hare Stadium in Alabama, saw goals from Valentín Barco, Lionel Messi via penalty, and Thiago Almada.

I remember crossing paths with the father in some training sessions, but I don't remember [the son].

— Lionel MessiDescribing his recollection of Andri Guðjohnsen.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.