Olympics: How Messi ignored Barcelona and triumphed over Nigeria in Beijing 2008

We recall how Barcelona almost stopped Lionel Messi from making the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Before the Copa America triumph in 2021, Lionel Messi’s success on an international level had come exclusively through age-grade competitions: the 2005 Youth Championships and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 

It is quite peculiar that he had to go through Nigeria to win both; however, that is not the story this article tells; instead, we narrate the near miss that was the Olympics for Messi.

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How Barcelona tried to stop Messi from 2008 Olympics

In the summer of 2008, the Argentine was just coming into his own as a player of considerable stature in the Barcelona set-up, coming off a season where he scored 16 goals and registered 16 assists.

Former Chelsea defender, Frank Leboeuf has made a bold pick for the winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or.

However, the Blaugrana were in a rut this period and finished 3rd in the 2007/08 season. With a new manager coming in and saddled with qualifying for next season’s Champions League through the playoff route, Barcelona were unwilling to let Messi leave for the Summer Olympics, which he had his heart set on. 

It was a summer of bold decisions for Pep Guardiola, so what is another? He opted to sell two of the club’s star players Ronaldinho and Deco, and upon noticing a miffed Messi in training, displeased about the club blocking his Olympic ambitions, decided to let Messi partake at the 2008 games. 

Messi, in an interview with Juan Pablo Varsky, narrated the event from his vantage point. 

“Nobody wanted me to go to the Olympics with the national team,” Messi told the journalist, per Albiceleste Talk.

“When Pep arrived, we had just started training and there was some buzz about whether I would go to the Olympics or stay. We had to qualify for the Champions League, no matter what. I looked unhappy during training because I wanted to go to the Olympics, and he noticed.

“He’s very smart; nothing escapes him. He got to know me quickly; I’m transparent. He said to me, ‘Don’t worry, we will qualify for the Champions League. Go, win the Games, and come back; it’s going to be a long year and we’ll enjoy it.'”

Barcelona went on to beat Polish side Wisla Krakow in the playoffs and qualify for the Champions League. And in the following season, they not only won the competition, they won every other trophy up for grabs in an unprecedented sextuple. Messi was the best player in the world for the first time that season, with 38 goals and 19 assists to boot, proving Guardiola made the right choice by prioritising the Argentine’s happiness. 

Messi at the 2008 Beijing Olympics 

The diminutive magician had an impressive tournament, registering as many goal contributions as games played (5).

After running riot against their South American rivals, Brazil, Argentina set a date for the final with Nigeria, who had drubbed Belgium in the semis.

Three years after inspiring Argentina to a Youth Championship final triumph over the Flying Eagles, Messi had another final against a Nigerian team.

The match, played at the Beijing National Stadium, was tightly contested and would have ended in a draw but for an Angel Di Maria intervention just before the hour mark. The winger famously chipped the out-rushing Dele Ajiboye after being played through on goal by Messi. 

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