Glasgow Rangers had been no strangers to signing gamers from Barcelona within the early 2000s, paying huge cash for Mikel Arteta and Ronald de Boer.
Nevertheless, these at Ibrox practically introduced in Lionel Messi from the Catalan giants earlier than he broke into the first-team image on the Nou Camp.
The Argentina icon is rightly recognised as among the best footballers to ever play the sport and hasn’t regarded again since making his senior Barcelona debut on the age of 17 in 2004. He spent 17 years with Barcelona earlier than signing for Paris Saint-Germain after which Inter Miami.
|
Lionel Messi’s main honours |
Yr gained |
|---|---|
|
Ballon d’Or |
2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023 |
|
World Cup |
2022 |
|
Copa America |
2021, 2024 |
|
Champions League |
2006, 2009, 2011, 2015 |
|
La Liga |
2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 |
|
Ligue 1 |
2022, 2023 |
|
Uefa Tremendous Cup |
2009, 2011, 2015 |
|
Membership World Cup |
2010, 2012, 2016 |
|
Copa del Rey |
2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021 |
|
Spanish Tremendous Cup |
2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018 |
|
Supporters’ Defend |
2024 |
|
MLS League Cup |
2023 |
|
Olympic Gold Medal |
2008 |
|
French Tremendous Cup |
2022 |
Messi has gained all the pieces there may be to win within the sport, together with eight Ballon d’Or awards, and he lastly claimed World Cup glory along with his nation in 2022.
Nevertheless, issues may have been so totally different for the magician, if these in Glasgow received their means.
How Rangers practically signed Messi from Barcelona
As per a report from Aim, Rangers truly made enquiries to signal Messi on mortgage from Barcelona previous to his senior debut. Sadly, these efforts had been turned down by these on the Nou Camp, but it surely was Alex McLeish’s son, Jon, who discovered Messi.
Speaking on Graham Hunter’s The Large Interview podcast in 2017, McLeish went into element on how his son’s love of Soccer Supervisor alerted him to Messi in 2003, with Rangers on the seek for a substitute for Barry Ferguson.
“My son Jon was into Championship Supervisor. He was continuously giving me names in South America. They arrive out of the sky and say ‘Lionel Messi goes to be the most effective participant on the planet’.
“He was 13 or 14 on the time. You dismiss it however Rangers had been downsizing and we had been searching for some high quality in midfield.
“Barry Ferguson had gone right down to Blackburn so we misplaced a man who would have taken the ball in any stadium anyplace on the planet. We would have liked gamers of that ilk once more.
“Jan Wouters phoned Henk ten Cate, who was the assistant of Frank Rijkaard, the ex-Dutch worldwide.
“Jan phoned him and stated: ‘Messi?’ We had been informed no likelihood.”
Jon’s prediction of Messi changing into the best on the planet was correct, exhibiting the powers Soccer Supervisor can have in actual life.
