Lionel Messi’s first contract with Barcelona is one of the most iconic stories in football history — and it all started on a napkin. In the year 2000, when Messi was just 13 years old, he traveled from Argentina to Barcelona for a trial with the club’s youth academy, La Masia.
His immense talent was immediately clear, but securing his future with the club wasn't straightforward. Some within Barcelona were hesitant due to Messi's age and the financial burden of paying for his medical treatments for a growth hormone deficiency.
