messi, rags to riches

Is this what makes messi one of the best players in the world?

While most other footballers live the high life of pampered prima-donnas, it seems like messi has kept his feet firmly on the ground, and has not forgotton as to how hard it was to achieve everything he has got.

Reading this, it could so easily of never happened

He's been hailed as The Messiah for leading Barcelona to victory over Manchester United in the Champions League final.

But Lionel Messi, who dazzled Wembley on Saturday, was once banned from playing because he was too small.

One his first day at school in Rosario, Argentina, the lad, who would twice become Fifa World Player of the Year, had to watch from the sidelines.

Messi later revealed: “In my childhood I had difficult times because of hormonal problems.”

In 1995 the young eight-year-old attracted the attention of Buenos Aires club River Plate.

But they pulled out of a deal to sign the boy, nicknamed The Flea by older brother Rodrigo, because it could not pay for his £500-a-month medical bills.

The future looked even bleaker when club medics told Messi’s stunned family he would grow no taller than 4ft 7in.

Dad Jorge and wife Celia, a part-time cleaner, could not afford to pay for their son’s treatment, on top of the cost of bringing up their other three children as Argentina’s economy crumbled.

But luck was on their side. Incredibly, a family relative in Catalonia, Spain, managed to get a trial for the then 13-year-old with Barcelona.

The club’s sporting director Carlos Rexach crossed continents to watch him - and was impressed.

“I snapped him up there and then,” he recalls. “In fact, as a symbolic gesture, I got him to sign on the back of a serviette.”

Messi joined Barcelona’s under-14 squad in 2000, after the club agreed to foot his medical expenses. He moved to Spain with his proud dad, and in his first match, he scored five times.

Now 5ft 7in, Messi has won five La Liga titles, three Champions League titles and even an Olympic gold medal with Argentina.

But the dynamic dribbler remains shy and quietly-spoken.

He enjoys simple tastes - a danish pastry or two and coffee for breakfast - and insists: “I like the quiet life. I’m just a normal guy. I drive a car the club provides.”

 

As well as the footballing lesson we received the other night it would be nice if we had a few more humble players.