River Plate's interest in Messi

River Plate, a prominent football club in Buenos Aires, showed interest in Lionel Messi during his early career. Messi, who was a young talent at the time, idolized River Plate's playmaker Pablo Aimar. The club scouted Messi and recognized his potential, particularly after he performed impressively in a trial where he scored four goals. This performance led River Plate to express a desire to sign him. They even went as far as offering to cover Messi's medical treatment, as he was dealing with health issues that had raised concerns about his future in football. However, despite River Plate's intentions, the transfer did not materialize due to Newell's Old Boys, Messi's then-current club, refusing to release his player card. This decision effectively blocked the move, keeping Messi at Newell's and ultimately leading to his later transfer to FC Barcelona, where he would go on to achieve global stardom. The situation highlights the complexities of player transfers in football, especially when multiple clubs are involved and the player's health is a factor.