Full Interview Thread: Messi with DiarioOle. #FCB
Messi, on his earliest memories playing football, his first matches as a kid, etc: “Even before , when I was 4/5 years old, I used to play with a ball - right from the time I started walking. Yes, I remember my first games at Grandoli [in Rosario] being on the field..” #FCB ⚽️
“I have older brothers and cousins, and we always got together to play. I don’t exactly remember the first time I played played with a ball, but I know I’ve been playing since I was very little. And when I was 4, I started playing at a club, and on a street, all the time” #FCB ⚽️
“One of my brothers or cousins were playing and we used to go there everyday because we are of different ages and categories. The ‘86 team, a year older than me, was playing and they needed a player — so my grandmother told the coach ‘put him [Leo] in the team” #FCB ⚽️
“No, how am I going to put him in the team, look how small he is, you’re crazy, he’s going to get hurt”, the coach said. But she [Leo’s grandmother] kept saying “put him, put him” #FCB ⚽️
“Apparently when I went, I did some things and from then, my grandmother came back and told him [the coach] ‘Buy him football boots, I’ll take him to training next week’ - and that’s when I started. It was an amazing time” #FCB ⚽️
Messi, on whether he remembers his first ever goal: “I remember, from what I’ve seen in the videos we have, it was in a special neighborhood championship. And then, when I was at Newell’s, in some of these important tournaments I played” #FCB ⚽️
Messi, on his memories in the matches in Rosario: “I remember the matches, used to play with my friends, playing ball all the time. I wasn’t allowed to play with older kids because I was too young” #FCB ⚽️
“Maybe if I see the moment, the videos and all that, I’ll remember. But I don’t exactly remember much from when I was a kid” #FCBMessi, on not being allowed to play with older kids: “It was more out of care or out of fear that I might get hurt rather than letting me play or not” #FCB
Messi, on the treatment for his height to grow: “It was for a little bit of everything, not just for football. It was a resource that was going to help in my everyday life and not only as a football player..” #FCB
Messi, on playing with a mask: “At the time, I was in the Cadetes [young team]. I was 14 or 15 I think and one weekend in a match against Espanyol, I was elbowed and my cheekbone was fractured” #FCB
“In that sense, I’m very responsible. When I set my mind to do something, I try to take it to the maximum, to achieve all my goals and fight. Thiago knows about the treatment, but I’ve never thought that he or any of my other children would have to do the same treatment” #FCB
“At first it was hard because when I arrived, I couldn’t play due to paperwork issues and then when I started playing, I got injured and then I almost went a year without being able to complete. I could only train, which wasn’t the same..” #FCB
Messi, on switching from Rosario to Barcelona: “Making that decision was difficult but quick at the same time. I didn’t even hesitate, did it without thinking. Didn’t really understand what it meant to leave my country, my people, my friends and start another life elsewhere” #FCB
“Then I was lucky, because from that moment on, everything moved forward very quickly. I progressed very fast. I started climbing positions and playing with other guys. And I kept seeing that I was closer, that it was possible, so I wanted to be here to try and keep fighting”
“At the same time, it was hard to leave everything I had in Rosario. I knew I could go there again in 6 months. I’ve lost many friendships since it was very difficult to communicate. Today, any 13-14 year old can walk around with a phone but it wasn’t like that at the time” #FCB
Messi, on how he felt in those vacation trips from Rosario to Barcelona: “Always crying, not wanting to stay but wanting to stay at the same time. I wanted to come back to Barcelona to continue to do what I was doing but..” #FCB ✈️