Lionel Messi: Rare footage of legend destroying Man Utd’s Nani in 2011 Champions League final

Rare footage has emerged of the moment Lionel Messi destroyed Nani with a brilliant bit of skill in the 2011 Champions League final.

Messi produced one of the greatest individual performances of his stellar career as Barcelona registered a convincing 3-1 victory over Manchester United at Wembley at the end of the 2010-11 campaign.

The legendary Argentine forward scored the second of Barça’s three goals that night and deservedly picked up the Man of the Match award after full-time.

Pedro opened the scoring for Pep Guardiola’s side in the 27th minute before Wayne Rooney equalised for United shortly afterwards.

But second-half goals from Messi and David Villa saw Barcelona lift the European Cup for the fourth time in their history.

Sir Alex Ferguson, who also suffered defeat against the same club two years earlier in Rome, said his Manchester United had never faced a better team throughout his tenure as manager.

“In my time as a manager, I would say they’re the best team we’ve faced,” Ferguson told reporters after the match, per The Guardian. “Everyone acknowledges that and I accept that. It’s not easy when you’ve been well beaten like that to think another way. No one has given us a hiding like that.”

But it’s clear that Messi was the biggest difference between the two sides.

A constant threat whenever he received the ball, the South American toyed with the then Premier League champions all evening.

And it was his magnificent skill against Nani that led to Villa putting the game beyond United’s reach.

Footage recorded by a fan in the stands – and posted to Twitter by @RoyNemer – shows Messi roasting Nani near the touchline before busting into the penalty area.

Watch the clip here:

Lionel Messi dribbles passed Nani, David