Did you know that...

… Lionel Messi could have signed for Como?

Yes, that’s correct. The Barcelona and Argentina star had the opportunity to sign for Italian 3rd-tier side Como back in 2002, but the directors of the club blocked the transfer.

Messi was only 14 years of age at the time, but ex-Como President Enrico Preziosi revealed he was offered the wonderkid for $50,000.

"I was told, ‘you can take him home for $50,000′ but the Directors blocked the operation. At the time every player I signed for Como wasn’t very good. There is a definite regret. If I had only gone with my instinct."

That’s a pretty big miss from the Como club, who were promoted to Serie A for the 2002/03 season but were relegated straight back down. Preziosi is now the President of Serie A side Genoa, after joining them immediately after Como’s relegation.

So what could have been? Messi at a small club like Como seems ridiculous, but it could have been a very different story had he made the small-money move to Italy.

Messi signed for Barcelona in 2000 from Argentinian club Newell’s Old Boys, and The Catalan giants will be extremely relieved that they didn’t let this one slip through the net.