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The Diagnosis That Changed Everything When Messi was 10 years old, his future as a professional footballer was thrown into doubt. He was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency—a condition that stunted his physical development and required expensive daily injections costing at least $1,000 per month . His father's health insurance covered only two years of treatment. Newell's Old Boys initially agreed to contribute but later reneged on their promise . River Plate, the Buenos Aires giant, scouted Messi and offered to pay for his medical treatment after he scored four goals at a trial. But Newell's refused to release his player card, preventing the transfer . The situation seemed hopeless. The Napkin That Made History As the Messi family had relatives in Catalonia, they sought to arrange a trial with Barcelona in September 2000, when Messi was just 13 years old . First-team director Carles Rexach was immediately captivated. But the board of directors hesit...
