With Lionel Messi captaining Argentina at the World Cup and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham nearing his 23rd birthday while competing at a fourth major tournament with England, former coaches and teammates who saw them as youngsters have shared memories of their early promise, according to ESPN.
Messi’s rise at Barcelona’s La Masia has become the stuff of legend. Álex Garcia, now an assistant manager at Las Palmas, recalled first seeing the Rosario native while coaching Barcelona’s Cadete A side, sharing the training ground with Tito Vilanova’s Cadete B team. Garcia said reports of a gifted Argentine had reached him and that he often stayed to watch Messi even when the winger was not in his care, according to ESPN.
Garcia highlighted the striker’s speed in one-on-one situations and his ability to carry the ball at a pace that stood out from his peers. He noted Messi’s receptiveness to coaching, describing a young player who absorbed corrections with wide-eyed focus. Garcia told ESPN that barring major injury, it was clear to La Masia staff that Messi would become a professional.
Accounts of Bellingham’s early days also came from those who faced him in youth football. Reuben Duncan remembered that the midfielder did not seem like a child when he first encountered him but rather appeared ready-made, according to ESPN. Those impressions sit alongside Bellingham’s current role at Real Madrid and his participation in England’s senior tournament efforts.
Those who observed both players at close range pointed to a mix of technical ability and mental traits that marked them out early on. In Messi’s case, Garcia said the youngster often produced spectacular goals in training and matches and showed an ability to change a game when he chose, according to ESPN.
