Inter Milan attempted to sign Lionel Messi from Barcelona in his youth

Massimo Moratti, the former president of Inter Milan, revealed that the club made significant efforts to recruit Lionel Messi during his youth at Barcelona. Moratti expressed that he had been impressed with Messi's talent while he was in Barcelona’s youth system, prompting him to seek direct contact. However, Messi's strong bond with Barcelona, which included medical support from the club, ultimately influenced his decision to remain. Moratti noted that Inter’s interest in Messi helped accelerate his promotion to Barcelona's first team, leading to his historic career there.

• 10:45 AMYahoo Sports — ‘Did everything possible’: Inter Milan failed with an attempt to lure Messi away from Barcelona