Newell’s Old Boys’ mythical number ten shirt is identified with two of the greatest Argentine footballers to have ever taken to a pitch: Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. Both played for the club; Maradona at the end of his career and Messi at the beginning of his. But now there’s another interesting footballer wearing it.
And he’s also called Messi. His name is Joaquin Messi but there’s no familial connection between the youngster and Argentina’s captain and leader. Just 19, he’s currently playing for Newell’s youth team and competing in the U20 Copa Libertadores.
“As soon as I arrived, many asked me if I was related to him,” Joaquin said as carried by Mundo Deportivo. “It’s a simple coincidence. In my town there are three families with the surname Messi. I just happened to coincide with him. I’ve started with Newell’s just like him and now I also wear the number ten.”
Newell’s lost their first match of Group C against Guarani from Paraguay 1-0 in the Atahualpa Olympic Stadium in Quito, Ecuador. Their next match is against Universidad de Concepcion from Chile and they need to win. Only the top two from each group will progress to the semi-final of the competition.
Lionel has long been linked with a return to Newell’s at some point in his career but for his now is focus is on helping Paris Saint-Germain win their first Champions League title. Messi already has four thanks to his halcyon days with Barcelona.
😱 ¿Es argentino? Si 🇦🇷
¿Juega con la 🔟? Si.
¿Juega en @NewellsJuvenil? Si.
¿Messi? ¡Messi! 😍🌟 Con ustedes, Joaquín Messi, un de los cracks de #Newells en la CONMEBOL #LibertadoresSub20.
🇦🇷 Conheça o Messi do #Newells na #LibertadoresSub20. pic.twitter.com/Y528ZZzH1W
— CONMEBOL Libertadores Sub-20 (@LibertadoresU20) February 7, 2022