Glasgow Rangers have been no strangers to signing gamers from Barcelona within the early 2000s, paying massive cash for Mikel Arteta and Ronald de Boer.
Nevertheless, these at Ibrox almost introduced in Lionel Messi from the Catalan giants earlier than he broke into the first-team image on the Nou Camp.
The Argentina icon is rightly recognised as probably the greatest footballers to ever play the sport and hasn’t regarded again since making his senior Barcelona debut on the age of 17 in 2004. He spent 17 years with Barcelona earlier than signing for Paris Saint-Germain after which Inter Miami.
Lionel Messi’s main honours
12 months received
Ballon d’Or
2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023
World Cup
2022
Copa America
2021, 2024
Champions League
2006, 2009, 2011, 2015
La Liga
2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019
Ligue 1
2022, 2023
Uefa Tremendous Cup
2009, 2011, 2015
Membership World Cup
2010, 2012, 2016
Copa del Rey
2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021
Spanish Tremendous Cup
2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018
Supporters’ Defend
2024
MLS League Cup
2023
Olympic Gold Medal
2008
French Tremendous Cup
2022
Messi has received all the pieces there may be to win within the recreation, together with eight Ballon d’Or awards, and he lastly claimed World Cup glory along with his nation in 2022.
Nevertheless, issues might have been so completely different for the magician, if these in Glasgow acquired their manner.
How Rangers almost signed Messi from Barcelona
As per a report from Objective, Rangers truly made enquiries to signal Messi on mortgage from Barcelona previous to his senior debut. Sadly, these efforts have been turned down by these on the Nou Camp, however it was Alex McLeish’s son, Jon, who discovered Messi.
Speaking on Graham Hunter’s The Large Interview podcast in 2017, McLeish went into element on how his son’s love of Soccer Supervisor alerted him to Messi in 2003, with Rangers on the seek for a alternative for Barry Ferguson.
“My son Jon was into Championship Supervisor. He was continually giving me names in South America. They arrive out of the sky and say ‘Lionel Messi goes to be the most effective participant on the planet’.
“He was 13 or 14 on the time. You dismiss it however Rangers have been downsizing and we have been searching for some high quality in midfield.
“Barry Ferguson had gone all the way down to Blackburn so we misplaced a man who would have taken the ball in any stadium wherever on the planet. We wanted gamers of that ilk once more.
“Jan Wouters phoned Henk ten Cate, who was the assistant of Frank Rijkaard, the ex-Dutch worldwide.
“Jan phoned him and mentioned: ‘Messi?’ We have been instructed no likelihood.”
Jon’s prediction of Messi changing into the best on the planet was correct, exhibiting the powers Soccer Supervisor can have in actual life.
