Skill Learning Lessons From Lionel Messi and How His Career Almost Ended Before It Started
Skill Development Expert Profile — Lionel Messi
‘Unless you get this treatment, you will not grow another centimetre.’
11-year old Lionel was sitting at the doctor’s office in Rosario, Argentina. He had just been told that he has growth hormone deficiency. If he doesn’t get a costly treatment, he will barely grow at all.
Leo was already a talented footballer, but he was very short (140cm). If he didn’t continue to grow, he would be way too small to make it as a professional footballer.
His parents were factory workers and had no chance to pay for the expensive treatment, which cost 900$ a month. The insurance would only cover him for the next 12 months.
On top of that, Argentina was in an economic crisis, and neither his club Newell’s Old Boys or River Plate was willing to pay for the treatment. They thought the risk was too high, and they didn’t want to gamble on such a young player making it to the highest levels.
Lionel was shattered. He whole life was about football and his ultimate dream in life was to become a professional.
