20 years ago today, Lionel Messi got his official FC Barcelona licence | OneFootball

Icon: Barca Universal

Barca Universal

·6 March 2021

20 years ago today, Lionel Messi got his official FC Barcelona licence

Article image:20 years ago today, Lionel Messi got his official FC Barcelona licence

Tomorrow might be one of the most important days in Barcelona’s modern history – the day of the 2021 elections. On Sunday evening, one of Joan Laporta, Victor Font or Antoni Freixa will become the Catalans’ new president and hopefully kick-start their rebirth. However, today is also a day of great significance for the club.

On 6 March 20 years ago, a little Argentine kid was officially registered as a new Barcelona player, getting his licence from the Catalan Football Federation following the signing of the contract on a piece of napkin some months before that. Little did he or anyone else know the boy from Rosario would change the course of football history.


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Article image:20 years ago today, Lionel Messi got his official FC Barcelona licence

Fast forward to 2021 and Lionel Messi’s future is yet to be decided. His contract is set to expire this coming summer and we still don’t know whether he wants to stay or go. But regardless of his decision, nothing will change the fact it was that faithful day when Carles Rexach turned a napkin into a contact that ended up becoming one of the most important decisions the club has taken in the last two decades.

To put such faith in a 13-year-old boy is not something you do lightly. Messi was talented, that is certain, but also small, suffering from a growth disorder and also thousands of miles away from Barcelona. Everything was against him. Even the early periods in Catalonia were painful as injuries, problems and homesickness played their part.

But nothing could stop Messi from defining Barcelona’s modern era and football as a sport in the coming years. Today, 20 years later, Leo has done exactly that and even more. Now, as we stand before the beginning of a new era, everything is about to change.

However, one thing will always remain true no matter what happens next – Messi is Barcelona and Barcelona are Messi, always. It is quite surreal to think that it’s been more than two decades since the beginning of this story.

Here’s to many more.

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