"Do you remember the goal Maradona scored in the World Cup against England when he took on and beat half their team? Well, Leo used to score goals like that almost every game, even when he was only five years old."That's how good Lionel Messi - now widely considered to be the world's best player - was as a little kid, according to David Trevez, the president of Grandoli FC, the first club where the diminutive Argentine played competitively.Grandoli is located in Barrio Sur, in the south of Rosario, one of the biggest cities in Argentina after Buenos Aires. Barrio Sur is somewhat off the beaten track. Grim estates tower over the neighbourhood. Amid abandoned vehicles, stray dogs stalk the rubbish-strewn streets.The ground where Messi took his first steps to global recognition is little better.
The children only train in the evening on a poorly lit and uneven pitch, skipping over turf which is borrowed from the city council. It is a far cry from the stunning Nou Camp, which the 23-year-old striker illuminates for Spanish giants Barcelona week-in, week-out.Continue reading the main story Rosario has a slight feel of Liverpool. It is a port town with a fierce rivalry between two big clubs. Messi played for the one more similar to Liverpool than EvertonBut many of the children here know, with some pride, that they are playing at a ground where Messi took his first steps towards becoming a legend."I'll be the next Messi," says a cheeky but assured young trainee, wearing an Argentina replica top, after doing 21 keepy-uppys.
He must be about eight years old and already shows skills with the ball that some adults must dream of. I later see him taking shots on goal, which are no less impressive."Our aim is to teach the kids how to play football, and we focus our training on the technical aspects," says Trevez.At Grandoli the coaches already whisper about a "new Messi" coming through the ranks. In other times promising young talent would be labelled the "new Maradona". All I can find out about the latest potential star is that he's called David and that a Spanish television crew recently came over to film him.
"We see many talented children here. But Leo had ability to spare. During his three years here he did incredible things for a kid his age and size, considering that the football would reach almost up to his knees," said Trevez."That's why many of us are not surprised with the things we see on the TV that Messi is doing, as we used to see that here on a regular basis," he adds.Messi always played with children who were both bigger and older than him. At first, it seemed it was a matter of time before he would grow. No worries.
No comments:
Post a Comment