Lionel Messi shows true colours and picks out Liverpool player after heroics

 Lionel Messi has revealed his admiration for Liverpool youngster Rio Ngumoha in a clip that's been posted on social media.

The football icon has handpicked Ngumoha for his elite list of 10 promising young talents. Working alongside Adidas Football, Messi features in footage where he's seen shuffling a deck of cards before laying them out methodically.

Each card showcases one of football's most exciting young attacking midfielders, with Ngumoha earning his place among stars like Andrey Santos, Kendry Paez and Nico Paz.

The video's caption simply states: "Every card counts. The perfect 10. This is Messi +10." A narrator explains over the footage: "The perfect 10. It starts with a shuffle, it relies on a few tricks, a slide of hand, nothing is left to chance.

"Every card is considered, a true maestro knows how to pick them. It's about pairs that make players fold, the diamond play, a full spread of aces. The perfect 10, that's how you pick the future of the game."

The teenager responded on social media by posting a picture of his own card next to the Messi +10 deck, simply writing "Messi +10" accompanied by prayer and football emojis.

Despite only celebrating his 17th birthday in August, Ngumoha has already left his mark on the senior Liverpool squad this campaign.

The youngster became an instant hero after netting a last-gasp winner as a substitute in the thrilling 3-2 triumph over Newcastle United during just the second Premier League match of the season.

Since then, he has been rewarded with his first professional contract at Anfield.

The young player made the move from Chelsea to Liverpool in the summer of 2024.

He made his senior debut in the FA Cup victory over Accrington in January and has since added another five appearances to his tally.