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Cristina Cubero on young Messi and Ronaldinho

The detail that gets me is the coach's confusion. Cristina Cubero had been talking with Messi regularly while he was barely saying a word to anyone else in the Barcelona locker room, so the coach pulled her aside and asked what on earth they even discussed if the kid stayed silent with his own teammates. That question is what tipped her off that something might be off between Messi and the squad. Her fix was to ring Ronaldinho and ask him to look after the youngster, on the pitch and inside the locker room. His answer: don't worry, I'll do it, he's fine, but this one will be better than me. Rewind a bit and the picture is a 14-year-old arriving at Barcelona, introverted and shy, not speaking to a soul. Cubero describes him only listened and learned, like a computer, a genius, as if he were Japanese. She was the exception, and he opened up to her plenty. Then came the question from Messi himself: if he ever played for the national team, would she be with him? Of course she would. Later, mid-vacation, her phone rang and it was him saying he'd been picked for Argentina against Hungary. She caught a flight and went with him. On the trip she teased him about being a strange Argentine who doesn't talk much, and he told her he prefers to listen, that's just who he is. The rest is history.

1h

Footy News@Footynews

Follow

Cristina Cubero on young Messi and Ronaldinho

The detail that gets me is the coach's confusion. Cristina Cubero had been talking with Messi regularly while he was barely saying a word to anyone else in the Barcelona locker room, so the coach pulled her aside and asked what on earth they even discussed if the kid stayed silent with his own teammates. That question is what tipped her off that something might be off between Messi and the squad. Her fix was to ring Ronaldinho and ask him to look after the youngster, on the pitch and inside the locker room. His answer: don't worry, I'll do it, he's fine, but this one will be better than me. Rewind a bit and the picture is a 14-year-old arriving at Barcelona, introverted and shy, not speaking to a soul. Cubero describes him only listened and learned, like a computer, a genius, as if he were Japanese. She was the exception, and he opened up to her plenty. Then came the question from Messi himself: if he ever played for the national team, would she be with him? Of course she would. Later, mid-vacation, her phone rang and it was him saying he'd been picked for Argentina against Hungary. She caught a flight and went with him. On the trip she teased him about being a strange Argentine who doesn't talk much, and he told her he prefers to listen, that's just who he is. The rest is history.

1h