How many times have you caught yourself wondering how different football could be if something happened differently. If a transfer was not completed, if a goal was not scored, if a coach had a negative result and was fired.
It happens and applies to every championship. From the Premier League to the Super League and from Spain and Italy, to Saudi Arabia. The story we are about to tell did not take place today. But every time we enter this discussion, it becomes terribly… relevant.
It concerns Lionel Messi and the choice of the Argentine superstar in 2003 to stay at Barcelona. He had been there, passed his trials, and then, Arsenal decided to snatch his signature.
Arsene Wenger wanted him “alongside” Cesc Fabregas. He asked for him, wanted to take him to North London. The latter went and became the youngest player to wear the team’s shirt at the time, at 6 years and 177 days. He took the armband, played 350 games with the “Gunners”, before leaving for Barcelona.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi said “no”. He preferred “La Masia”. That’s exactly what his agent, Solndini, said three years ago. “They told him to go to Arsenal and he didn’t go.”
Imagine how different everything would be if the Argentine had decided to say “yes” back then!