Ahead of this Sunday’s La Liga match between Real Madrid and Racing de Santander, a former player and technical secretary for the Merengue side revealed a collection of anecdotes about world stars who came very close to wearing white, highlighting the day they could have signed Lionel Messi.

Miguel Ángel Portugal, who reviewed his time at Real Madrid’s offices, shared these striking statements. He said there was an approach involving the Argentine star in 2001, when he still did not have a professional contract with Barcelona, but the operation did not prosper.

The Day Real Madrid Could Have Stolen Lionel Messi From Barcelona

“There was a moment when he could have been signed; he still didn’t have a professional contract with Barcelona, he hadn’t finished extending his contract, and a person close to him offered him to Madrid,” Portugal revealed in a conversation with the Spanish outlet AS about the Rosario star.

Although the former Real Madrid executive acknowledged that there was an informational approach, he then explained that the operation did not prosper: “They didn’t want to break relations with Barça, but there was an approach. Although, out of respect, I think it wouldn’t have been done.”

In that interview, the former Real Madrid technical secretary also revealed the reports he had on figures such as Neymar and Coutinho, or the close monitoring he did of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric when they were barely developing as midfielders.

On the Croatian, who became a key figure at the Merengue institution, he noted that “when he started he was rather slight, but he developed a lot in England.”

Likewise, Miguel Portugal distinguished between two Brazilians: one who currently plays as Vinicius Jr. and another, like Robinho, who left his mark on the sport. He said he followed the latter day to day.

“Yes, yes, in the Copinha when he was a kid. Like so many others. His skill is different from, for example, Vinicius. Vinicius is about taking players on, but Robinho was fantasy, skill,” he concluded.