Munir El Haddadi recalls being pranked into taking Lionel Messi’s seat by Neymar and Luis Suarez during his early Barcelona days.
Munir El Haddadi has revisited a humorous yet awkward initiation during his early days at Barcelona , where he was tricked by senior stars into an embarrassing confrontation with Lionel Messi.
The former academy graduate was led into a classic dressing room prank involving the legendary 'MSN' trio that left him red-faced in front of the world's best players. Stepping into a dressing room occupied by the iconic attacking trident of Messi, Suarez, and Neymar was a daunting task for the then-18-year-old Munir. During an early training camp, the teenager found himself looking for a place to sit at the team hotel and sought guidance from his more experienced colleagues.
Unbeknownst to him, the senior players seized the opportunity to orchestrate a light-hearted prank by directing him toward a specific, seemingly vacant chair.about the transition from the academy to the first team, Munir explained how he was easily misled by the group's superstars. Believing he was simply finding a place to rest, the young forward followed the instructions of his teammates who were eager to see him stumble.
He recalled: “They told me: ‘Over there, over there, there’s no one there,’” believing it to be an empty spot.arrived to find his usual spot occupied by a nervous newcomer. Munir vividly remembers the moment the Argentine icon stood over him, with the rest of the squad watching on in amusement as the prank reached its climax. He said, "Just imagine… at 18, sitting in your seat, and Leo comes over and stares at you.
They’ve played a trick on me, I can’t believe it.
"Now 30, Munir has transitioned into a new chapter of his career after making 56 appearances and scoring 12 goals for the Catalan giants. Since September 2025, the forward has been plying his trade in Iran with Esteghlal following a permanent departure from Spain that ended his long association with La Liga. As the veteran attacker adapts to the Persian Gulf Pro League, he carries with him the unforgettable lessons learned from his time alongside football’s most elite mentors.
L. Messi M. El Haddadi Neymar L. Suarez Laliga
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