Football history, as we know it, could have taken a dramatically different turn if not for a series of obstacles, missed opportunities, and quiet acts of perseverance. In a recent interview with Luzu TV, Lionel Messi reflected on a critical period in his childhood — a time when his dream of becoming a professional footballer was nearly derailed before it truly began. Long before the Ballon d’Ors, the Champions League nights, and global superstardom, Messi was just a gifted boy in Rosario fighting circumstances far bigger than himself.
At the center of the struggle was a medical condition that threatened not only his football career but also his family’s financial stability. Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at a young age, a condition that required expensive and long-term treatment. While his talent was already obvious, talent alone was not enough to guarantee support in an era where youth football structures in Argentina were often rigid and underfunded.
Messi explained that his treatment initially began while he was still at Newell’s Old Boys, the club where he took his first real steps in football. However, the financial burden quickly became overwhelming.
“At first, I started the treatment at Newell’s, but it was very expensive,” Messi recalled. His father, Jorge Messi, along with support from his workplace, helped shoulder part of the cost. Even so, the money covered only a fraction of what was required for the full medical program. Growth hormone treatment was not a short-term fix; it demanded consistency, patience, and significant financial commitment — something that placed enormous strain on the Messi household.
Messi revealed that his growth condition was discovered during routine medical tests. Interestingly, Newell’s had previously treated another player, Diego Manso, for the same issue, which meant the club was already familiar with the process. On paper, this should have made things easier. Newell’s agreed to contribute toward the treatment, with Messi’s father’s company helping to make up the rest. But what sounded manageable in theory became a daily ordeal in practice.
The logistical challenges alone were exhausting. The Messi family lived in Zona Sur, while the administrative offices responsible for releasing funds were located on the opposite side of Rosario. Messi vividly remembered how his mother, Celia, bore the brunt of this struggle.
“She had to cross the city every day just to collect the money for the treatment,” Messi said. Often, she would arrive only to be handed the equivalent of five or ten pesos — small sums that barely made a dent in the overall cost. On some days, she made the journey for nothing at all. “Sometimes she went, and they’d tell her, ‘No, the person who gives the money isn’t here.’”
Those repeated setbacks understandably caused frustration, and over time, that frustration was wrongly directed at the club as a whole. Messi was keen to clarify this point. According to him, the issue was never with Newell’s Old Boys as an institution.
“That’s why my mom was always ‘angry,’ in quotes, with Newell’s,” he explained. “But in the end, it wasn’t Newell’s. It had nothing to do with the club itself. It was the person who was in charge at that moment.”
As the treatment challenges dragged on, another opportunity emerged — one that, for a brief moment, seemed like it could secure Messi’s future in Argentina. River Plate, one of the country’s most prestigious clubs, invited the young prodigy for a trial. Messi attended, impressed, and quickly caught the attention of those watching.
River Plate were convinced. They wanted him.
“They told me yes, that I could stay,” Messi said. Even more importantly, River was willing to cover the cost of his growth treatment — a massive relief for the Messi family. It appeared that the most significant obstacle standing between Messi and his dream had finally been removed.
But there was a catch.
While River Plate were happy to support him medically, they were unwilling — or unable — to intervene in the bureaucratic side of the transfer. The responsibility of securing his release rested entirely on Messi and his family.
“They told me, ‘You have to go get the clearance from Newell’s and then come here to join,’” Messi explained.
That clearance never came.
When Messi approached Newell’s to request permission to move, the club refused. Whether motivated by pride, fear of losing a talented player, or simple administrative stubbornness, the decision effectively ended his chances of joining River Plate.
“It was very difficult,” Messi said. “That’s where it ended.”
That single refusal closed one door — but, unknowingly, it opened another that would change football forever.
Soon after, FC Barcelona entered the picture. Unlike the Argentine clubs, Barcelona not only recognized Messi’s extraordinary ability but also showed a willingness to invest in his well-being and long-term development. The club famously agreed to cover the full cost of his medical treatment, formalizing their commitment in what has since become one of football’s most legendary origin stories.
What River Plate could not finalize, Barcelona embraced wholeheartedly.
Looking back, it’s astonishing how close the sport came to a completely different reality. Had Newell’s granted that clearance, Messi might have grown into a River Plate legend, carving his path in South American football before ever considering Europe. Instead, a combination of hesitation, bureaucracy, and missed responsibility redirected him toward Catalonia — and into history.
Messi’s story is a powerful reminder that greatness often survives despite obstacles, not because of perfect systems. His rise was not smooth, guaranteed, or protected. It was fragile, uncertain, and dependent on the sacrifices of his family — particularly his mother — and the faith of a club thousands of miles away.
Today, as Messi reflects on those early struggles, his words carry more than nostalgia. They highlight how easily talent can be lost when institutions fail to support young players beyond the pitch. And they underline one undeniable truth: football history is shaped not only by goals and trophies, but by moments when belief triumphs over bureaucracy.
In Messi’s case, one blocked move in Argentina led to a dream realized in Barcelona — and the emergence of one of the greatest players the game has ever known.
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