Lionel Messi interview that never saw light of day is recovered - 'I didn't talk to them'

Lionel Messi's initial struggles at Barcelona where he "didn't really speak to" his team-mates have emerged in a previously unpublished interview. The football legend, who spent an incredible 21 years with the Catalan giants, admitted in a recently unearthed interview from 2003 that communication was a significant hurdle when he first joined the club from Newell's Old Boys.

During his illustrious career at Camp Nou, Messi clinched 10 La Liga titles, 14 domestic trophies, four Champions League titles and seven of his unprecedented eight Ballon d'Or awards. His staggering tally of 672 goals in 778 appearances also shattered the previous club record held by Cesar Rodriguez since 1955. Messi's journey with Barcelona is one for the history books, but it wasn't always smooth sailing.

In the early days, the Rosario-born prodigy found it challenging to connect with his peers, as revealed in the interview conducted by Julian Bricco for El Grafico over two decades ago. He said: "At first, it was a bit difficult with my new team-mates; they all spoke Catalan.

"I didn't really talk to them, and I didn't adapt well at first, but then they opened up and talked to me. The truth is, they treated me very well, and thanks to them, I'm getting along very well with everyone today."

The Argentine maestro also reflected on the difficulties he faced transitioning to the fast-paced La Liga from Argentina's youth leagues, adding: "It all happened quickly. Luckily, it went well for me, and I got used to it. Things are going well for me. At first, it was a bit difficult. Football is faster, with more touches. I think because I was younger, 14, I adapted quickly."

Messi's debut for Barcelona's senior team came at just 16 years old in November 2003 against Porto. Despite limited time on the pitch after coming on as a substitute, Messi seized the moment to showcase his future greatness.

Reflecting on the milestone, Messi added: "No one thought that, being so young, I would make my debut in the First Division. It was a bit strange because it's not common there either to debut so quickly. Over there, they debut at 19 or 20, and I was 16. It was a surprise for everyone."

The football phenomenon continued his career journey from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 before joining Inter Miami in 2023. Despite their disappointing exit from the Club World Cup at the hands of Messi's former team PSG in a 4-0 defeat on Sunday, Messi had been instrumental in their campaign, scoring once in four matches.

Reflecting on the loss with DSports, he said: "The match was what was expected. They're a great team, winners of the last Champions League, and they're in really good shape. It was the match we expected. We tried to do our best, and I think we left a good impression at the Club World Cup."