Stories that Inter Miami are plotting a preseason pleasant with Lionel Messi’s first membership Newell’s Previous Boys has generated emotions of frenzy in southern Florida and in Argentina, the nation he left when barely an adolescent, for Barcelona, the place he would go on to grow to be one of many biggest gamers the sport has ever seen.
Since then, other than private visits, Messi has solely returned to his homeland for his commitments with the nationwide group. He joined Newell’s as a six-year-old and spent shut to 5 years making his method up the youth classes earlier than he was lured to Europe by Barça in February 2001.
Throughout his 17 seasons within the first group at Barça, and the 2 seasons he spent at PSG, in 853 appearances, Messi performed in opposition to – and scored in opposition to, virtually each high flight Spanish group and the entire main European golf equipment.
However being based mostly in Europe, there have been few possibilities to play in opposition to golf equipment from different confederations. The one events when Messi might have discovered himself enjoying in opposition to groups from South America can be both within the Membership World Cup or a pleasant. Leo has finished each.
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What number of instances did Messi play in opposition to Argentinean groups for Barca and PSG?
Messi has confronted Argentine golf equipment twice in official competitors, each instances within the Membership World Cup closing. A metatarsal fracture meant he sat out the 2006 version however Barcelona have been again within the event as European champions, with Messi, three years later in 2009. Estudiantes de la Plata have been the rivals within the closing – one which Guardiola’s facet got here inside a whisker of shedding. Pedro’s last-gasp equaliser took it into extra-time when up popped Leo to nod within the winner, making Barça the primary membership to win a clear sweep of six trophies in a single season.
The Catalans returned to contest the trophy in 2011 and once more in 2015, dealing with one other Argentine group within the closing as soon as once more. River Plate have been the rivals in Yokohama in a recreation which had not one of the stress of the 2009 closing. Messi put Barça forward on 36 minutes with a close-range end and Luis Suárez added a pair extra after the break.
Messi additionally crossed paths with rivals from his dwelling nation in unofficial competitors. He wasn’t obtainable for the 2008 Trofeo Gamper in opposition to Boca Juniors as he had extra vital issues to take care of – successful the gold medal with Argentina’s Below-23s on the Beijing Olympics.
Nonetheless Boca have been invited once more a decade later and this time Messi was obtainable. And as at all times, he discovered the goal – scoring the group’s second aim within the 3-0 win (Malcom and Rafinha have been the opposite scorers).
To summarize, Messi has performed in opposition to Argentine membership thrice since leaving his homeland and scored in all three of these video games. Subsequent up could possibly be his beloved Newell’s, in a pleasant in the beginning of 2024 – in what can be a extremely emotional re-encounter for him. Contemplating his strike charge in opposition to Argentinean opposition, makes you marvel how he would really feel if he occurred to place one previous his boyhood group…
Information Abstract:
- Has Messi ever confronted an Argentine group since leaving his homeland?
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