Ben Chilwell graduated through the Leicester City youth ranks into the first team.
Ben Chilwell was regarded as one of Leicester’s best young products when he first broke through and quickly established himself as one of the best left-backs in the Premier League.
The Milton Keynes-born defender earned his first England cap in September 2018 and has since amassed 21 appearances for the Three Lions.
Chilwell enjoyed a successful career at the Foxes and was a key fixture in Brendan Rodgers’ side which finished fifth in his first full season at the club.
Reflecting back on his career at Leicester, Chilwell shared one of the most ‘demoralising’ games he played in.
Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Ben Chilwell was ‘demoralised’ playing against Lionel Messi
Reminiscing on Leicester’s pre-season friendly against Barcelona back in 2016, Ben Chilwell explains how he felt ‘demoralised’ as he couldn’t get near Lionel Messi.
“You never really get starstruck but it was three years ago, it was a pre-season game against Barcelona,” the former Leicester left-back told BBC Sport.
“And he didn’t actually seem like he was interested at all to be there. The worst thing about it was you still couldn’t get near him when he had the ball. He was just so sharp, so good.
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“It was just kind of demoralising to play against someone who wasn’t trying in the slightest and I still couldn’t get anywhere near him.”
Leicester lost 4-2 that day
Leicester ended up going four goals down to the LaLiga giants, with Luis Suarez among the goals.
However, the then Premier League champions managed to pull two back through record-signing Ahmed Musa.
Musa produced one of the most memorable debuts in City’s recent history, even if it was a friendly, as he tore apart the Barca defence with his blistering pace.
Sadly, that was probably his best moment in a blue shirt before his permanent departure to Al-Nassr a couple of years later.