"Word reached the club that they could go after him" - Former Real Madrid official claims club had chance to sign Lionel Messi in 2001

Former Real Madrid technical secretary Miguel Ángel Portugal has claimed that Los Blancos had the chance to sign Lionel Messi in 2001, before the Argentine signed a professional contract at Barcelona.

Portugal worked at the Santiago Bernabéu as a player, Castilla coach, scout and technical secretary, a role he held between 2007 and 2009. Speaking to AS about the players he monitored during his recruitment years at Real Madrid, he said (via Madrid Universal):

“There was a time when they could have snapped him (Messi) up. He didn't yet have a professional contract with Barça, he hadn't quite finalised his renewal, and someone close to him offered him to Madrid.”

He added:

“I don't know if it was true or not, word reached the club that they could go after him. The opportunity was there. We didn't want to sever ties with Barça, but there was indeed some contact. Although, out of respect, I don't think it would have gone ahead.”

Portugal was careful not to present the episode as a near-transfer. There was contact, he said, but no negotiation, and he admitted he could not confirm whether the information that reached the club was accurate. Lionel Messi had arrived in Barcelona's youth setup from Newell's Old Boys in 2000 at 13 and was still in the academy when the offer was reportedly made.

The teenage forward went on to make his senior Barcelona debut in 2004 and finished with 672 goals in 778 competitive games for the club, along with eight Ballon d'Or awards, becoming one of the greatest players to ever play for the Catalan club.

Lionel Messi's numbers against Real Madrid

The 45 Clásicos Lionel Messi played for Barcelona produced 26 goals and 14 assists, the most goals anyone has scored in the fixture's history, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Alfredo Di Stéfano on 18 apiece.

Eighteen of those goals came in 29 LaLiga meetings. He scored two hat-tricks against Los Blancos, the first in the 3-3 draw at Camp Nou in March 2007 and the second in the 4-3 win at the Bernabéu in March 2014, and he struck twice in the 2-0 Champions League semi-final first leg in April 2011.

Messi left Barcelona in 2021 and now plays for Inter Miami, and he retired from international football in August after Argentina's World Cup final defeat to Spain.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, are back in LaLiga action at Racing Santander on Sunday, sitting third, three points behind Barcelona.