Before popularity: what famous footballers looked like at 17 years old

Nowadays, the lives of famous soccer players are watched by millions of people. Players of top teams are recognized by fans in completely different parts of the world. It is hard to believe that in his younger years, some athletes were extremely difficult to achieve even the slightest success, so that their name sounded outside their hometown or village. Now the position of these people in the world of sports has become completely different, and with it the appearance of athletes has changed. Let’s remember where the stars of world soccer started their careers.

Lionel Messi

2005 / 2019

Leo Messi is one of the legendary players of our time. At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth deficiency. Thanks to Barcelona’s academy, which paid for the boy’s treatment, the world was able to see the talented Argentine play.

At the age of 18 Messi received the award “Best Young Player of the Year”, and a year later became one of the three candidates for the “Golden Ball”. At the same time, the footballer debuted for the youth national team of Argentina, where in the first tournament helped the team to win the World Cup – 2005, and later the Olympic Games – 2008.

Cristiano Ronaldo

2005 / 2019

Cristiano is famous for his tough discipline and iron character. True, it was not always so. In childhood, the Portuguese often fought: once the boy threw a chair at the teacher, for which he was expelled from school. Even after moving to the academy “Sporting” rebellion against the written rules continued. Then Ronaldo refused to wash the dishes behind him and was not allowed to the international tournament.

The transition to Manchester United became a key in the career of the Portuguese, and the seventh number gave more responsibility. A year later, Cristiano was already announced in the main national team and in his debut season helped to win silverware at Euro 2004.

Neymar is criticized for capricious character both on the field and off it. The player’s problems are often solved by his father, who, according to many, relies on money rather than on the interests of his son. At the age of 14, the Brazilian did not get to Real Madrid, as the parties could not agree on the amount of the transition. Despite all the fateful interventions, the footballer quickly progressed. Heavy character he did not hide. In “Santos” Neymar quarreled with the coach, who did not let him shoot a penalty.

In 2011, the athlete received the award for the best goal, bypassing Messiah and Rooney themselves. And after the first season in Barcelona, Neymar became one of the three best players in the world.

Gianluigi Buffon

1995 / 2019

Buffon became the idol of more than one generation. Initially, the Italian was a midfielder. At the age of 14, he moved to Parma, where he took the position of goalkeeper due to a difficult situation, and two weeks later he became the main goalkeeper.

In 2006, Buffon together with Juventus flew to Serie B. There the goalkeeper did not reflect a single penalty for three years. But this did not prevent Gianluigi from becoming a world champion and one of the greatest players.

Mohamed Salah

2012 / 2020

Salah is making history with Liverpool. It was difficult for a boy from a small Egyptian village to succeed. At the age of 14, the footballer took about four hours to get to the city where the training took place. Had to jeopardize training, but the risks paid off. At 19, Mohamed was noticed by scouts of Swiss “Basel”. The athlete moved to a European club alone at such an early age.

The importance of Salah for the Middle East is very great. The footballer has repeatedly helped the people of Egypt and saved the country’s economy. Good deeds even prompted Egyptians to vote for the footballer in the presidential election.

Lewandowski became the discovery of 2008. Then the player was second in the Polish championship in scoring goals. After the transition to Borussia Dortmund, Robert was criticized a lot, despite the huge number of goals scored. The real glory came to the athlete only during the transition to Bayern. In one of the matches he scored for the club five goals with an interval of three minutes.

Antoine Griezmann

2011 / 2019

Griezmann’s career is truly interesting. For about six years, the player unsuccessfully battled to get into the academy of the grandees of French soccer. Only at the age of 14, the boy was taken to Manpellier because of the shortage of players. After Antoine managed to demonstrate talent, the teenager was taken to the academy of Real Sociedad, where he passed all levels, getting to a professional contract with the main team.

Because of the game in the Spanish league, the footballer remained out of sight of the coaches of the French youth national team. Only in 2010 Griezmann received an invitation to the national team. In the first major tournament, the player helped the national team to become European champions, scoring two goals.