Wrexham star Lewis O'Brien copying Lionel Messi with South American trend | OneFootball

Lewis O'Brien has been spotted copying legendary football star Lionel Messi with a South American trend...

Lewis O'Brien is one of the latest stars to join Wrexham AFC's rapid evolution under Phil Parkinson, with the midfielder signing from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2025.

Despite the money spent to get there, Wrexham’s ascent reads like a football fairytale. After Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over in early 2021, the Red Dragons got out of the doldrums of the National League by eventually winning the title in 2022/23 to return to the EFL.

They backed that up with a runners-up finish in League Two in 2023/24, earning automatic promotion again. In 2024/25, Phil Parkinson's Wrexham became the first club in the top five tiers to secure three straight promotions, finishing second in League One and sealing a place in the second tier for the first time since the early 1980s.

In 2025/26 the Hollywood story continues: the Red Dragons have adapted to the second tier and, sitting sixth in the Championship, are i contention for a fourth consecutive promotion push via the play-offs, eyeing an unprecedented debut in the Premier League.

O'Brien has 193 Championship and play-off appearances to his name, making him one of the most experienced players in the Wrexham squad at this level. So far, the 27-year-old has 34 appearances with four goals and five assists since joining Wrexham.

Lewis O'Brien follows Lionel Messi trend at Wrexham

Prior to joining O’Brien, who came through Huddersfield Town’s academy, starred there and won Player of the Year before moving to Nottingham Forest in 2022. He even scored in the Premier League but later struggled for regular starts.

However, he also has experience of MLS football when, from March until July 2023, he was on loan at D.C. United, making 17 starts, scoring once and assisting once, and quickly becoming a midfield mainstay. He then returned to USA not long after, too.

He has had loans with Middlesbrough and Swansea City as well, but in mid-2024 O’Brien joined Los Angeles FC on loan from Forest, adding further MLS experience in his search of competitive minutes.

There, he came up against one of the greatest footballers of all-time in Barcelona and Argentina legend Lionel Messi. The 38-year-old has been playing for David Beckham's Inter Miami since July 2023.

It appears the midfielder may have picked up a trend or two from the legendary football figure, be that during his time in the MLS or since then in the UK with Wrexham or another side.

Following Messi winning the World Cup in 2022, the forward fueled a global craze for Yerba mate, which is a traditional South American herbal tea. He did so by frequently consuming it before, during, and after training and matches.

It's often called the "beverage of champions" and the caffeinated, antioxidant-rich drink is used for energy, focus, and team bonding, particularly in football culture. Messi's influence is seen in O'Brien, too.

Following the victory over Charlton Athletic, O'Brien posted on Instagram with the drink as his first image, stating: "What a week! Lads dug in deep and the fans were different level🙌🏻"

Lewis O'Brien is one of the Championship's most underrated players

Despite a few important goals this term, O'Brien is the archetypal midfielder who rarely grabs headlines but elevates everyone around him. Energetic, intelligent with his pass selection, and relentlessly hard-working, he thrives on doing the unseen graft. That includes pressing triggers, covering full-backs, but recycling possession quickly to sustain pressure.

With Wrexham's depth in midfield, it would be easy to see plenty of rotation in this area from Parkinson. But they knew what they were getting from his spell with Huddersfield Town, where his ball-carrying and stamina drove transitions. The MLS spells with D.C. United and LAFC underlined his adaptability, bringing bite and tempo in different roles and tactical systems.

O’Brien isn’t a luxury No.10 or a statistical monster. Instead, he is the connective tissue of this Wrexham team. In may ways, he is the engine and the player who sets the press by winning second balls and keeping a side compact. Teams function better with him in it, which is precisely why he’s so often underrated yet absolutely crucial.

The Wrexham play-off tilt hinges on the fitness of a few players, with O'Brien being one of those who is most crucial. With 10 games to go, Parkinson's side are well-placed for a fourth promotion in succession.