Miguel Angel Portugal Reveals How Real Madrid Once Had the Chance to Sign Young Lionel Messi

Former Real Madrid youth coach Miguel Angel Portugal has shed light on a sliding-doors moment from the early 2000s, revealing that a young Lionel Messi—who now plays for Inter Miami—was once offered to Los Blancos before he signed his first professional contract with Barcelona, as reported by AS. 

According to Portugal, members of Messi's entourage reached out to Madrid, but the club ultimately chose not to pursue the opportunity out of respect for Barcelona and a desire to avoid disrupting relations between the Spanish giants. Consequently, a move that could have dramatically altered football history never materialized.