Some football stories live beyond the pitch — and Marcus Thuram has just shared one that perfectly captures Lionel Messi’s humility, humor, and greatness.

Speaking in a recent interview, the French international recalled a childhood memory that still makes him laugh to this day. When Thuram was young, he accompanied his father, legendary defender Lilian Thuram, to a Barcelona training session. Excited but naïve, little Marcus thought players trained barefoot — so he showed up without his boots.

His father, embarrassed, tried to sort it out when a familiar figure approached: Lionel Messi.

“Messi asked my father what was going on. My dad explained that I had forgotten my shoes at home. Messi started laughing, took off his own boots, and told me, ‘Put these on.’ I tried, but of course, they were too small. I went home with them anyway — and I still have them to this day,” Marcus recalled.

The story didn’t end there. Years later, in the biggest possible setting — the World Cup final against Argentina — Thuram had the chance to remind Messi of that unforgettable moment.

“I told him the story. He laughed and said, ‘Give me my shoe back, now you have one.’ It made me laugh a lot, and I told him, ‘Bring your son to training barefoot, and I’ll give him one.’”

It’s a story that highlights the side of Messi fans rarely get to see — not just the greatest footballer of all time, but also a man of humility, kindness, and humor.

Thuram summed it up perfectly: “Messi is a very humble person, a talent that will never be repeated, and the best player in football history.”

A pair of too-small boots became a memory that has lasted decades — and a reminder that even legends have simple, human moments that stay with those around them forever.