BIRTH AND FAMILY
Lionel Messi was born on 24th June 1984 in an Italian hospital in rosario, Santa Fe Argentina.
ROSARIO is a port city 300km northwest of bueno aires, known being gritty, working class and football obsessed.
His dad Jorge Messi worked at a steel factory and became steel worker manager.
His mom Celia cuccitini worked part time cleaning houses.
He is the 3rd of four kids: Rodrigo,Matias, Lionel and Maria sol.
The family lived in a modest house in heras district,a working class neighborhood.
Football was everything on that side.
His dad coached youth football on the side, and Lionel Messi spent every afternoon playing football on the streets and in the small local clubs,Abanderado Grandoli FC, starting at age 5.
His Grandmother Celia Olivera was his biggest early supporter, she would take him to training and matches.
He later said every goal he scored was dedicated to her.
NEWELL’S OLD BOYS: THE STARTING POINT.
At 8 years old in 1995 he joined Newell’s old boys, one of Rosario two big clubs.
Newell’s youth team was called La Maquina del 87(the machine of 87) because of the age group’s talent.
Messi was the standout
Even then he was tiny but had ridiculous balance and close control.
Kids 2-3years older couldn’t get the ball of him,he scored nearly 500 goals for Newell’s youth teams.
Locals still talk about him scoring 4 goals in 10 minutes in a youth derby vs Rosario central.
THE DIAGNOSIS THAT ALMOST ENDED IT.
At 10 years old Messi stopped growing at the normal rate.
Doctors diagnosed him with a Growth hormone deficiency (GHD).
The treatment was daily injections of synthetic growth hormones costing around $900-$1000 per month.
Newell’s couldn’t afford it, river plate showed interest but wouldn’t cover the medical bills.
His family was desperate, Jorge Messi worked extra shifts but it wasn’t enough.
For a year treatment stopped and Messi’s growth stalled at 1.27m.
BARCELONA GAMBLE in year 2000 Messi was 13, Barcelona scout Carles Rexach was in Argentina to watch a youth tournament.
Someone showed him a tape of Messi , Rexach flew to Rosario immediately.
He arranged a trial in Barcelona.
Messi went with his Dad, and in a twenty minute session,he Dismantled kids two years older, Rexach was convinced, The problem: Barcelona couldn’t officially sign him, Fifa rules made it hard to transfer Minors internationally.
So Rexach wrote the contract on a napkin in Barcelona tennis club on 14th December 2000.
It said “In Barcelona on 14th December 2000,in the presence of Messrs.Minguella and Horacio,Carles Rexach, FC Barcelona sporting director,Hereby agrees under his responsibility and regardless of any dissenting opinion, to sign the player Lionel Messi, provided we keep to the amount agreed upon.
Barça agreed to pay for the growth hormone treatment and relocate the family to Spain.
THE MOVE TO SPAIN in February 2001,13 year old Messi,his dad and his brother Rodrigo moved to Barcelona , Spain.
His mom, Matias and his sister Maria sol stayed in rosario for another year.
It was brutal for him.
He was shy , couldn’t speak Catalan and missed his family and friends.
He started treatment at Sant Joan dè Dèu.
The injections where daily in his legs and he had to do it himself by age 14.
He grew 15cm in 3 years and reached 1.70m.
LÀ MÀSIÀ ENTRY
Messi entered LÀ MÀSIÀ Barcelona’s academy in year 2000-2001.
He was still registered as a Newell’s player so he couldn’t play official matches for months.
He played friendlies and destroyed everyone.
By 2002 he was scoring 30+ goals a season for Barça infantile B and Cadete B teams.
Coaches said he would do things in training that will make senior players stop and watch.
BARCELONA RISING STAR
At 16 he trained with Ronaldinho,Deco, and Xavi for the first time.
Frank Rijikaard called him up to the first team in 2004.
To be continued….