His loyalty for club and country
Messi spent his childhood playing for Newell’s Old Boys and was part of a team that earned a nickname – ‘The Machine of ‘87’. The team were almost unbeatable and had a propensity to score numerous goals per game.
Leo only moved from his boyhood club as they were unable to cover the costs of his treatment. Even then, Messi has vowed to one day return to the Rosario based club, probably towards the fag end of his career, such is his love for that club.
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Even after breaking through the ranks at Barcelona and establishing himself as one of the best in the world, there was never a shortage of suitors for the 5-time Ballon d’Or winner. However, despite all the interests from various European giants, the controversies involving his tax issue and those pertaining to the hierarchy of the club, Messi endured and stuck by them.
At 29, he currently has only one year left on his contract with the Camp Nou outfit and once again, there is no shortage of suitors but it can be said with some degree of conviction that he will renew and extend his stay at Camp Nou.
When Messi was just beginning to make a name for himself as a 16-year-old, the Royal Spanish Football Federation were keen to rope him for the Spanish Under-17 side but Messi – an Argentine at heart – declined the offer stating that he only wants to represent his native country. And so he did, only five days after his 17th birthday in an 8-0 rout of Paraguay, where he scored one and assisted another two. Once again highlighting his loyalty…
