Lionel Messi is present at Winter Olympics for U.S. Gold Medal winner: "I know he's with me"

T he 2026 Winter Olympic Games have provided countless unforgettable moments. Olympians have set records, put on incredible performances and captured the hearts of millions of fans. There have also been some crossover moments between the Olympics and American sports .

Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett was present during girlfriend Chloe Kim 's appearances. Former NFL All-Pro player turned famous podcaster Jason Kelce has been a superfan for USA's women's ice hockey team . But in a stunning twist, Lionel Messi has made his presence felt despite being thousands of miles away.

Alex Ferreira , an American skier, won the Gold Medal in men's halfpipe on Friday . Ferreira had previously won silver at the 2018 Winter Olympics and bronze in 2022. To win gold, Ferreira had to channel Messi, who he describes as his "idol" .

Ferreira holds Messi in a special place in his heart. The skier's father is from Argentina and played soccer professionally. Before his gold medal run, Ferreira revealed why he considers Messi an inspiration, aside from the Argentinian link.

" My dad and I are huge Messi fans. When he won the World Cup, my dad cried and I actually teared up a little bit as well. I relate to him a lot in my life in the fact that he won his final World Cup on his last try. And I feel the exact same way going into this Olympics. This is going to be my last go at things and I'm giving it everything that I possibly have. So I'm praying to my idol Messi. I know he's with me ."

Ferreira ended up coming out on top, just like his idol did. Given that Messi is set to give it another go at the 2026 FIFA World Cup , perhaps Ferreira might be inspired to repeat at the 2030 Winter Olympics.