Image via Soda
Last year Cristiano Ronaldo got his own movie, so it’s only right that Lionel Messi has got one now as well. Messi comes to DVD next week, and it takes an unusual approach to telling the Argentinian superstar’s story. Messi himself isn’t interviewed for the film — instead, it stars a host of big name players (including Javier Mascherano, Andres Iniesta, Gerad and Gerad Pique), legends (Diego Maradona and the late Johan Cruyff), coaches and football writers, alongside his family and friends, in extended roundtable interviews, discussing his life, and what makes him so great.
It is a bit weird that the man himself isn’t actually involved, but it’s still interesting. All the discussions take place around restaurant tables, so the experience is kind like finding yourself having a meal with Pique and Iniesta, and spending the whole time bugging them for stories about the Nou Camp dressing room (which is totally what you’d do if you got the chance). Interspersed with those are strange reenactment scenes of Messi’s childhood, with actors playing him and his family — they are pretty cheesy to be honest, but at least they break up all the talking heads. Overall, it’s a interesting film, and here are five things we learnt from it.
He played a snail in a school play
As well as all the footballing legends featured in the film, the film also features Messi’s friends and family talking about what he was like before he was the idol of millions. They also provide a lot of old photos and home movies. Most of them are of him tearing it up for kids’ teams, but one bit of footage that stands out is footage of him dressed up as a snail, sheepishly appearing in a school play.
Even at only six years old, he was skilling up kids older than him
One of the early reconstruction scenes with the actors says that a six year Lionel only got onto the pitch because his bossy grandma forced the coach of his older brother’s team to let him play. That legend sounds a little to good to be true, but everyone in the film agrees that even that young age he was running rings around kids several years older than him.
He was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, which ultimately led him to him to Barcelona
Aged just 10, Messi was diagnosed with a hormone deficiency, which threatened his future playing career, and required his to have daily injections. The medical costs were high, but his hometown club Newell’s Old Boys agreed to cover half the costs. When his father lost his job though, they weren’t able to afford the rest. Young Messi was already getting interest from other clubs, and River Plate, one of the biggest clubs in Argentina, wanted to sign him. However the economic collapse in the country went they couldn’t pay for the treatment either, and it was then that Barca stepped in. If it hadn’t been for his condition, he would probably stayed in Argentina. Even then it was a big decision, as Messi and his father had to travel to Spain, the rest of him family and friends behind.
Messi and Ronaldinho quickly formed a bromance at the Nou Camp
When Messi broke into the Barcelona, Ronaldinho was their biggest star. But far from fearing that this new wonder-kid would steal his glory, the Brazilian gave him a helping hand. Messi was shy and awkward when he stepped into the Barca dressing room, but in archive footage he says Ronaldinho was one of the first people to help him adjust to the new setting. He even provided the assist for Messi’s first team goal, and was the first to celebrate with him after it went in.
Fabio Capello asked Frank Rijkaard if he could sign Messi on-loan in the middle of the game
In 2005 Barca played Juventus in a friendly, with Messi making a very early appearance and absolutely destroying the Juve defence. Then-Juventus manager Fabio Capello was so impressed with this kid that he’d never seen before, that right there and then, while the game was still going on, he asked Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard is he could take Messi on loan. Rijkaard politely declined.
Messi is out on DVD on 25 July.
