Varela: It will be very special to face Messi

They say never meet your heroes. Alan Varela can't wait to face his.

The Argentinian midfielder, who plays for FC Porto, will get the chance to line up against national icon Lionel Messi at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, when the Portuguese giants take on Inter Miami at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium on 19 June. It's a challenge he's eager to tackle.

"Obviously, it's very special to face him," the 23-year-old said of Messi at Porto's FIFA Club World Cup 2025 trophy tour. "The truth is that Messi is the best player in the world. I hope he's not so bright in that game. We will try to do our best so that Porto can win that game and all the games we have to play."

On either side of that bout with Javier Mascherano's side, the Dragões take on Brazilian heavyweights Palmeiras at MetLife Stadium, and finish their Group A campaign back in East Rutherford against Egyptian outfit Al Ahly. Should Porto make it to the knockout phase, there's one side in particular Varela would like to pit his wits against.

"Obviously River [Plate]," the former Boca Juniors man said when asked which of the two Argentinian sides he'd prefer to face at the finals. "Obviously Boca and River are the biggest clubs in Argentina. This tournament is very special because it allows you to face big teams. I owe it to Porto and I hope we can go as far as possible."

Going deep into the tournament, which concludes in a MetLife Stadium decider on 13 July, isn't a sentiment shared only by Varela. Club captain Diogo Costa is also keen for his side to provide a good account of themselves.

"It's certainly a competition that is no exception for us, [it's] one we want to win," the goalkeeper stated. "I think [winning] any title is a dream for any captain. But what really matters to us is to represent the club in the best way possible.

"Obviously, I hope that day (of the final match) we can lift that trophy. And for our part, we just have to give our best to make it possible."

The club's thirst for silverware is hardly a surprise. Back home, Porto have won a staggering 30 league and 20 Taça de Portugal titles, while their five European trophies and two FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ triumphs outrank any side in the land. Andre Villas-Boas, who enjoyed a highly successful spell as coach in the 2010s and was made club President last year, is keen to add this trophy to an already bulging cabinet.

"It's a beautiful trophy. I think it goes very well with these wines from Porto, one of the other big brands of the city," he said during the trophy tour, which stopped off at the club's museum. "We have a lot of history in the world of football, and it is a pleasure to be here. We hope to do well in the tournament and, in a way, open a new window in our museum for this beautiful trophy."