Messi could have joined Real Madrid, says former agent
FC Barcelona icon Lionel Messi’s former agent has said that the Argentine superstar was slated to join bitter rivals Real Madrid when he was just 13 years old. Horacio Gaggioli, who lived in Messi’s home town of Rosario in Argentina, had set up the budding superstar’s trial with the Catalan giants.
“Due to life circumstances, I went to live in Barcelona and I brought him to Barca for a trial. But I was about to live in Madrid,” Gaggioli was quoted as saying by ESPNFC on Saturday.
“If that had happened, I would have taken him to Madrid for a trial.
“That’s life, those are the details. Today, Messi could have been a Real Madrid player, of course. The family wanted to come to Spain, to the city where I was to have some support,” the Argentine added. joining in 2006, signed a one-year contract extension in May and the 2017-18 Premier League campaign will mark Carrick’s 12th season at the club, where he has won five league titles.
“I haven’t got an age in mind really, I need to just take it year by year,” Carrick told Sky Sports. “I said that last year, I said it the year before and I’ll say it again next year too.”
Former Liverpool and Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa has decided to retire from professional football, the 34-year-old told a Spanish newspaper.
The Spain international won the 2010 FIFA World Cup and two European Championships in 56 appearances for his country.
He also won multiple trophies at Spanish champions Real Madrid, including one league and two Champions League titles.