Messi (94 page)
Authors: Guillem Balague
El Sol
, Mendoza, Argentina (
www.elsolonline.com
)
Sport
, Barcelona, Spain, (
www.sport.es
)
La Vanguardia
, Barcelona, Spain (
www.lavanguardia.com
)
La Voz
, independent newspaper from Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain (
www.lavoz.cat
)
Blogs:
Alejandro Carnero blog: The Ball Does Not Bend:
http://la-pelota-no-dobla.blogspot.com
Roberto Martínez blog: Touch and Dribble:
http://toqueygambeta.com
Humberto Perozo blog: From My Arcade
http://desdemiarqueriapanorama.blogspot.com.es/
Having just finished writing a biography of Pep Guardiola, Alan Samson and David Luxton suggested doing a book on Messi. ‘Why not?’ I said, not looking at the calendar. It has been a very rewarding and demanding few months, with plenty of trips, reading and conversations to try to get to understand what moves and motivates someone as special as Lionel Messi.
But none of this would have made sense if I had not spoken to the people that love him most. You know who you are and how grateful I am.
Talking of special. This book would not have passed the finish line without the time, effort and love put in it by Maribel Herruzo. Thank you is not enough, so we will have to go to Morocco. And thanks so much to Kike Dulce for looking after (and cooking for) Maribel!
Having the manuscript read by Luis Miguel García, my best friend and the most privileged brain I know, is one of the biggest luxuries of this project.
A thousand thanks to Orion and Alan for having giving me the opportunity again to use my time wisely writing, instead of wasting it; I don’t know, relaxing or something. Honestly, it is an honour and a privilege to have your confidence. Thanks, David, for listening to me at any time and any day; as you are aware, the concept of time disappeared in my mind. Lucinda McNeile has got the most subtle and charming way to put pressure and give encouragement.
The hard work of Peter Lockyer all summer has helped the book take shape. The injection of enthusiasm of Marc Joss at the end gave
me a new push and all that was overseen by the greatest motivator of all, William Glasswell.
Sergio Levinsky was always available and cheerful, and was a needed source of good news in Argentina. He provided contacts and/or interviews with Alejandro Sabella, Professor Salorio, Fernando Signorini, Pancho Ferraro, Liliana Grabín, Carlos Bilardo, Gustavo Oberman, Eduardo Sacheri and Gerardo Grighini. Brent Wilks gave us all support so the whole house didn’t collapse.
I have to be eternally grateful again to Pep Guardiola who gave me time to talk about a very unique time in his life. The same has to be said of Esteve Calzada who laid the first brick of this building; I owe you lots, Esteve.
Santi Solari was the perfect guide in Rosario and we started a conversation that continues even when he is not around. Pedro Gómez gave me new angles on this simple but complex world of football. The knowledge and encouragement of Pep Segura, Pako Ayestarán and of Youknowwhoyouare run throughout this book.
While I wrote and travelled, Stevie Rowe and Scott Minto dealt wonderfully with my moods and tiredness. Thanks for being so understanding. Damien O’Brien, James Wheeler (thank you for your stats!) and the rest of the Revista crew (Luke Arthur, George Lansdale, Adam Chenery, Graham Hunter) have always had a word of support which was a bigger boost than they think.
Thank you so much to President Sandro Rosell for taking time from his busy agenda to add his personal touch to this book. And I owe a few meals to Iñigo Juárez – choose the restaurant.
I learned so much about Messi and football (and life) talking and listening to Sir Alex Ferguson, Edwin van der Sar, Míchel Salgado, Steve Clarke, Fabio Capello, Rafa Benítez, Henrik Larsson, Asier del Horno, Patrick Vieira, Claudio Vivas, Pere Gratacós, Henk ten Cate, Xavi Llorenç, Alex García, Quique Domínguez, Juan Carlos Garrido, Rodolfo Borrell, Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, Pancho Ferraro, Carlos Marconi, Carlos Bilardo, Alejandro Sabella, Fernando Signorini, Gerardo Salorio, Juanjo Brau, Diego Schwarsztein, Liliana Grabín, Cesc Fàbregas, Eiður Guðjohnsen, Javier Mascherano, Pedro Rodríguez, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Fernando Navarro, Gerardo Ruben Grighini, Guillermo Amor, Gustavo Oberman, Gerard Piqué, Sylvio Mendes
Campos ‘Silvinho’, Oscar Ustari, Víctor Vázquez, Pablo Zabaleta, Roberto Martínez, Ramón Besa, Ferran Soriano, Txiqui Begiristain, Joan Gaspart, Joan Laporta, Carles Reixach, José María Cuartetas, Josep Maria Minguella and Professors Andreas Sosa, Diana Torreto, Mónica Domine, Silvana Suárez, Cristina Castañeira.
I needed the help of these friends who always gave me a hand and returned calls straight away: Chemi Teres, Gerard Autet, Nathan Smith, Pedro Pinto, Xavi Alegría, Sergio Alegre, Gabrielle Marcotti, Raphael Honigstein, Hernán Amez, Cristina Cubero, my teacher and friend Moisés Alvarez, Peter Bennett, Gaizka Mendieta, Joey Barton and of course Mark Wright.
Special thanks to the time and work put in by Oscar Elías, Eugenia Vega, my cousin Elena Cruz, Oliver Trust, Mariajo Fernández (for helping Maribel), Magda Gascón (for her help about the politics of the Catalan language), Federico Bassahún and Nacho Fusco (editors of
Don Julio
), Gerard Nus (with a clever transcription of the Guardiola speech in Buenos Aires), Luis Calvano, Coco Ventura, Diego Torres, Javier Sánchez Napal (author of the song ‘Mundo Redondo’), Martín Souto (who did the fantastic interview with Leo for TyC Sports) and Brian Zwaschka (with his suggestions about Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan).
My brother Gustavo knows how hard it is to work on deadlines and was always very supportive. My sister Yolanda even transcribed interviews – everybody gave a hand! My mother looked after me even when she struggled to fight off her own headaches, and seeing my dad reading the Pep book, after decades not opening one, and then looking for new ones to read is the biggest reward I got for writing it.
So thank you all.
Abelairas, Matías
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Abidal, Eric
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Abraham, David
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Abrahamian, Eduardo
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Adidas
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Agüero, Sergio
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Aimar, Carlos
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Aimar, Pablo
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Alba, Jordi
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Albacete
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Alcantara, Paulino
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Alfi league
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Alfonsín, Raul
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Algar, Carlos
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Alvarez, Robert
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Amez de Paz, Eduardo
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Antic´, Radomir
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Antonella
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Aparicio, Salvador Ricardo
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Arellano, Alberto
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Arellano, Cintia
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Argentina
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coup d’état
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economic migration
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exiles
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expulsions
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football in
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masculinity
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Night of the Long Truncheons
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population
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social framework
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style of football
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Argentina national team
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achievements
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Copa América, 2007
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crisis debate
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decline
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failure
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LM thinks of quitting
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LM’s debut
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Maradona as coach
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Olympic Games, Beijing, 2008
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,
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successes
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World Cup, 2006
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World Cup, 2010
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Argentina national youth team
LM’s call-up
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Sudamericano Championships, 2005
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Under 20s World Championship
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Under 20s World Championship Group stage
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Under 20s World Championship Last 16
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Under 20s World Championship Quarter-final
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Under 20s World Championship Semi-final
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Under 20s World Championship Final
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Under 20s World Championship victory celebrations
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Argentinian Federation (AFA)
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Argentinian footballers, backgrounds
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Argentinos Juniors
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Arteaga tournament
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Asch, Hugo
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assimilated players
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Athletic de Bilbao
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Atlético de Madrid
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Autet, Gerard
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Baiges, Marc
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Ballon d’Or
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Baptista, Júlio
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Barcelona
arrival in
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Castelldefels
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Gran Via Carles III
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Hotel Rally
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Little Argentina
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Lleó XIII school
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Barcelona FC
agrees to the Messis’ requests
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B Team
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Cadetes
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and Catalan nationalism
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coaches
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