Lionel Messi Earns Call Up Into Indonesia Youth Team Ahead of U17 Championships
- Indonesia’s U-17 national team has indeed called up Lionel Messi for their upcoming Asia U17 Championships
- However, this is not the Messi who led Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup or won eight Ballon d'Or awards
- It’s actually Lionel Messi Al Fachri, a 16-year-old player who plies his trade with Asiop Academy in Indonesia
Indonesian youth coach Nova Arianto has included Lionel Messi in his squad for the upcoming AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers, scheduled to take place in Australia in mid-2025.
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The Indonesia U-17 team will strive for victory in the Asian U-17 Championship and will compete in the 2025 AFC U-17 Championship qualifiers.
Source: Getty Images
The Southeast Asian country has been drawn in Group 7, alongside Kuwait, Australia, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The matches will commence in August to determine which teams advance to the second round of qualifiers.
Messi named in Indonesia U-17 squad
According to the official website of the Indonesian Football Association, Messi was called up to the 32-man squad.
However, this Messi is not the famous one we know, but rather an emerging talent, named Lionel Messi Al-Fakhri.
The 16-year-old defender plays for Asiop Academy in Indonesia.
Interestingly, beIN Sports has reported that Indonesian football players now have names inspired by international stars, including Ahmad Figo, Ronaldo Kuyate, and Beckham Putra.
The latest example is Lionel Messi Al-Fakhri, named by his father after the legendary Argentine and former Barcelona captain.
Messi named in Copa América Team of the Tournament
Meanwhile, Messi has been named among the five Argentina players selected for Conmebol's 2024 Copa América Team of the Tournament, announced more than two weeks after the event ended.
Despite scoring only once and providing one assist in five games, Messi secured a spot in the best XI.
Messi names leading contenders for 2024 Ballon d'Or
In an earlier report, YEN.com.gh revealed that Messi had identified Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe as the top contenders for the 2024 Ballon d'Or, notably omitting Jude Bellingham from his predictions.
Despite Bellingham's impressive debut season with Real Madrid, Messi does not see him as a major contender for the award.
The Ballon d'Or, traditionally dominated by Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo over the past decade, saw Messi further extend his record with another win following his 2022 FIFA World Cup victory.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
