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It has been two decades since Lionel Messi first appeared for Barcelona, marking his debut on matchday seven of the 2004-05 La Liga season.
Recently, SPORT shared an intriguing story that gives us a look into how Messi’s long-awaited debut came about behind the scenes.
The journey leading to Messi’s official debut was full of ups and downs. During the 2003-04 season, Messi played for five different Barcelona youth teams, showing the club’s intent to develop him quickly.
Despite making his debut with the reserve team, there was a time when he was sent back to Juvenil A and Juvenil B, two of Barcelona’s youth squads.
The missed opportunity in 2003
However, one unforgettable moment for Messi came in November 2003. He was called up by then-coach Frank Rijkaard for a match against FC Porto, which was held to inaugurate Estadio do Dragao.
20 years ago today…
The 🐐 Leo Messi made his Barça debut.
The rest is history.💫 pic.twitter.com/qnq2seHl1H
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 16, 2023
Messi, along with several other youth players, travelled as part of a squad filled with substitutes. Though the match was unofficial, it was a major milestone for the young Argentine, as it brought him a step closer to the first team.
Porto won the game, and Messi missed a couple of scoring chances. His parents, Jorge and Celia, watched a summary of the match the next day, and though they did not say much, Messi knew they were disappointed he hadn’t scored.
The moment
The summer of 2004 brought Messi new opportunities. Luis Garcia left for Liverpool, opening up space in the first team. However, there was still doubt about how Messi would fit into a star-studded Barcelona squad.
Lionel Messi never looked back after 2005. (Photo by Bagu Blanco/Getty Images).
At the time, Messi usually played as an attacking midfielder with the freedom to move across the pitch, which made it even harder to secure a…
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/the-untold-details-of-lionel-messis-barcelona-debut-know-how-it-happened/
Author : Swapnil Bhopatkar
Publish date : 2024-10-17 05:20:00
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