Following financial constraints, Lionel, the 34-year-old Barcelona legend, will be departing the club, as it is not possible to finalize a new contract. This news marks a new chapter in the remarkable career of the striker who has won a record six Golden Balls.
In еvеry step of Messi is always inflᴜenced by his father Jorɡe. Photo: CGI
At every step, Messi is always influenced by his father Jorge. Despite the rumors, Messi’s biggest off-the-pitch influence is his 63-year-old father, a former metal factory worker in Rosario, Argentina. It was Jorge Messi who coached his son at the local team Grandoli before he joined Newell’s Old Boys. When the soccer prodigy needed hormone injections due to a growth disorder, Messi’s father gave his son a trial at Barcelona.
Messi’s family moved to Spain when Lionel was 13 years old. He charmed coaches and clubs who agreed to pay for his treatment. Messi signed his first career contract on a napkin.
“Léo always does what I say, as a coach,” Jorge shared in 2013. “Even today, it is still the same. My son never told me that he has grown up to be the best player in the world. I’m a father, and my son has always looked at me as he did when I was his coach at Grandoli.”
Mеssι’s Һаppy fамily. PҺoto: CGI.
Leo played his first few games at Grandoli Club before people realized he had a natural aptitude for the sport. Jorge coached his son and provided instructions for his further development.
Remember, at the age of 10, Messi had a growth disorder and needed expensive treatment. Although the Messi family was not poor, the £900 worth of hormone injections was beyond their reach. Newell’s Old Boys Club was also unable to sponsor them, even though by this time Leo had gained some recognition through an article in Rosario’s La Capital in September 2000.
Messi’s father and son disappeared for several weeks. Schools and people outside the family didn’t know where they were going. The club Newell’s thought he had gone to Buenos Aires and signed with a rival club, while another malicious rumor suggested he had hepatitis.
Jorge frequently provides valuable advice and guides his son on the right path…
Jorge’s careful calculation greatly contributed to Messi’s success. The truth is that Messi and his father traveled to Catalonia to try out for Barcelona. The young Messi mesmerized the coaches at La Masia Academy with his ball skills, but there was no immediate contract offer.
Messi returned to Rosario as Jorge arranged another trial with the famous River Plate club to put pressure on Barcelona. Finally, in the presence of Messi’s family advisors Josep Maria Minguella and Horacio Gaggioli, an agreement with the Spanish club was signed on a napkin.
Messi joined the Catalan side with a salary of £120,000 per year, but more importantly, he could receive the hormone treatment he needed. However, 12 months after the execution of his deal, the Barcelona general manager was disappointed with the large sums for a young teenager, not even close to the level of the first team. Another senior Barça official sarcastically asked, “Who does he think he is, Maradona?”
Messi’s extended family, including his parents, wife, and children, is the most important source of motivation in his career. Photo: CGI.
Jorge reached out to Jorge Valdano, the former general manager of Real Madrid, to see if Los Blancos would be interested in bringing his son to join them. Fortunately, in the end, Messi stayed at La Masia.
Just a few months after turning 18, Messi set up Andres Iniesta to score in a 2-2 draw with Juventus, with 90,000 fans singing his name for the first time. But due to the difficult regulations of La Liga, Messi was unable to play for Barcelona at that time because there were too many non-Spanish players in their squad.
Inter Milan entered the hunt for Messi’s signature with a deal to triple his salary at Barcelona, in addition to two other lower offers. However, Barça was quicker to increase Messi’s salary in just 18 months. More importantly, President Laporta convinced the authorities to let Messi and his father become Spanish citizens, allowing him to play in La Liga without any problems.
Whether Messi will reunite with Neymar in a PSG shirt or not, the decisive voice in this matter is certainly his father, Jorge.
Within three years of his debut, Messi soon became Barcelona’s highest-paid player, surpassing Ronaldinho. Over the years, some of Messi’s contract terms have been increased to ensure that he and his family are happy.
Most likely, Messi’s next club will be his last step in football. But the most important thing is that Jorge has the duty to take care of his son – the greatest footballer in the world. Whether playing for PSG or elsewhere, he always has a decisive voice.
