ROSARIO, Argentina — Before becoming a Barcelona legend, winning the World Cup for his country and moving to MLS club Inter Miami via Paris Saint-Germain, Lionel Messi lived until he was 13 in Rosario, Argentina.
And it was in the largest city in the province of Santa Fe that the fan of Newell’s Old Boys and future captain of the Argentina national team discovered his love for football.
The seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or has become a tourist attraction in the football-obsessed city, which does not hide the pride of having produced arguably the greatest player of all time.
ESPN visited the neighbourhood of La Bajada, in the southern part of Rosario, and found the house where Messi grew up, his old school, the field he played on as a child, his first club and much more.
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