Without anyone knowing it, the history of Argentine and world football changed the September 17, 2000: That day, being a 13 -year -old boy, Lionel Messi It came to Barcelona, Spain, to try and sign for the Catalan club.
Today, 25 years, that historic day is remembered. A Messi pre -adolescent, and with development problems, he arrived at the capital of Catalonia Together with his father Jorge in search of his dream: become a professional football player.
Leo arrived in mid -morning at El Prat Airport from Buenos Aires with two tickets paid for Josep Maria Minguellathen leader of the Barcelona That was the key piece.
Minguella He knew from him “By Juan José Mateos, an Argentine lawyer who lived in Barcelona and called me talking about him, who was only a wonder,”.
Engaged in various matters with the then newly proclaimed president Gaspart, discussing the future of Rivaldo mainly, the representative took the subject Messi “as personal. The truth is that I didn’t give much importance until Mateos gave me some videos and I saw that it was something out of the ordinary and I thought we could do something.”
What he did Minguella was to pay the plane tickets and stay in a medium quality hotel in the center of Barcelona, “In the Plaza Universidad” because at that time “The club did not have a budget for base football or took care of a 13 -year -old boy that nobody knew. They agreed to do some tests, yes, but without any commitment.”
It was not an easy entrance to Messi When presenting in training fields. Minguella He recalled that “The beginning was not what is said to sew and sing.”
The Catalan manager recalled that the stature of Messi It did not reach 1.50 meters and its physical constitution, weak, caused some jocular comments. “Those who were rendered to their quality were mixed with which they said that he had no physique, that any defense would break him into a thousand pieces and that it was an adventure without a tour.”
That bet of Josep Maria Minguellacharacter of undisputed importance in the history of Barcelona, It turned out to be the best to dream. “Yes, of course I saw something different … but let’s not fool ourselves, with 13 years we couldn’t think everything that came later.”
After two months “His mother and brothers arrived. Yes, I also paid them the tickets and the accommodation for all at the Rallie Hotel, which is close to the Camp Nou because I was already training and had finally convinced Carles Rexach.”he recalled Minguella.
Rexach He was a historic FC Barcelonawho was a player for almost 20 years and directed the team as a coach. As a man of weight and with decision power, Once he saw him play Lionel Messi he did not hesitate to offer him a contract. Such was his hurry that he wrote it in a napkin.
“In Barcelona, on December 14, 2000 and in the presence of Messrs. Minguella and Horacio, Carles Rexach, technical secretary of FC Barcelona, undertakes under his responsibility and despite some opinions against signing the player Lionel Messi as long as we stayed in the amounts agreed,”the historical document prayed, the first contract of Messi with the Barcelona.
More than two decades later, Messi ended his contractual link with the Barça in 2021 And he said goodbye to the record of 782 games Officers played with the Blaugrana T -shirt and the top scorer in the club’s history with 674 goals. In addition, he managed to win the incredible amount of 35 titles.
Source: Ambito
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