Lionel Messi and Inter Miami have a special evening planned on Thursday when the Pink and Black take on Newell’s Old Boys of Rosario. It’s the team a young Messi grew up supporting and would eventually play for their youth ranks from 1995 -2000.
Messi joined Newell’s when he was just six years old and played for six years and scored almost 500 goals being a member of a youth side known as “The Machine of ’87”.
Despite his unquestionable talent, Messi was not signed by Newell’s because he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. FC Barcelona would eventually find Messi, pay for his treatment, and move his family to Spain where he would eventually become the best player of all-time.
About Newell’s Old Boys
Newell’s Old Boys was founded in 1903 and is one of the most successful clubs from outside the Buenos Aires area of Argentina. Known for a passionate fan base and a list of world class players, Newell’s has won 6 Argentine leagues, three national cups before soccer became professional, and were finalists of the Copa Libertadores on two occasions.
Some of the most notable players that have played for the club are Gabriel Batistuta, Abel Balbo, Jorge Valdano, Américo Gallego, Mario Zanabria, Gustavo Dezotti, Roberto Sensini, Walter Samuel, Mauricio Pochettino, René Pontoni, Gerardo Tata Martino, Ángel Perucca, Gabriel Heinze, Maxi Rodríguez, Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi (youth only).
Inter Miami manager Tata Martino has the most appearances for the club with 505 games, and most notably the club’s stadium is named after Marcelo Bielsa, who coached for well over 20 years at Newell’s, starting at the youth ranks and being the first team manager for three years, where Bielsa won two championships.
Bielsa has also contributed enormously to fund reformations to the stadium and grounds. Currently Newell’s are second in group B of the Copa de La Liga in Argentina, an MLS style inter-league cup, separated by divisions and includes a playoff phase.