Messi could have played for Real Madrid: Former agent

Madrid June 24 (IANS) FC Barcelona icon Lionel Messi s former agent has said that the Argentine superstar was slated to join bitter rivals Real Madrid when he was just 13 years old.

Horacio Gaggioli who lived in Messi s home town of Rosario in Argentina had set up the budding superstar s trial with the Catalan giants.

Due to life circumstances I went to live in Barcelona and I brought him to Barca for a trial. But I was about to live in Madrid Gaggioli was quoted as saying by ESPNFC on Saturday.

If that had happened I would have taken him to Madrid for a trial. That s life those are the details.

Today Messi could have been a Real Madrid player of course. The family wanted to come to Spain to the city where I was to have some support the Argentine added.

Gaggioli told Globoesporte that when he first saw Messi he was convinced he was not cut out to be a successful footballer as he was too skinny and small.

When I saw him at the airport I thought that boy could not be a footballer because he was too small and skinny.

I did not have a good impression. But when I saw him training in the Barca fields I realised that he was a great player who could play without a doubt he said.

Messi has won eight La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns with Barcelona. The 30-year-old who is playing for the Catalan giants since 2004 has scored 349 goals in 382 appearances for the former European champions.

Messi is also a five-time Ballon d Or winner.

--IANS
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