A former Barcelona star, who was deemed to be better than Lionel Messi as a youngster, was left unemployed after a serious injury wrecked his chances of a glittering career.
Gabriel Santiago Fernandez was the standout striker in the famed La Masia academy when Messi was coming through the ranks.
‘Baby’ as he was affectionately known managed to outscore the Argentina captain during one of their seasons together as the pair excelled at youth level in Catalonia.
The Spaniard was their leading scorer for eight years during his time at La Masia, but ultimately left the La Liga giants following a change in Barcelona’s management.
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Fernandez turned down a contract after dropping down the pecking and after stints across Spain, he came close to signing for Real Mallorca.
Shortly before putting pen to paper with the Pirates, however, ‘Baby’ broke his leg and it meant the deal fell through.
'I fell into depression'
“With one week left, I go play with my cousins and break my tibia, and of course, since I hadn’t signed it… I lost everything,” the former striker told Toni Paddila Sports 360.
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“I was out of action for a year and a half and fell into depression. I didn’t want to play, my leg was hurting… and I signed with Formentera once I’d recovered.
“I stayed for a year and decided to return to Catalonia and stay playing here.”
As Messi continues to shine for both club and country, which includes multiple La Liga titles for Barcelona up until his 2021 departure for PSG and captaining Argentina to the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, to this day ‘Baby’ still believes he was better than the current Inter Miami hitman.
'No one could compete with me'
“If I’m honest, it was ‘Baby’s Fifth,’ not ‘Messi’s Fifth’,” he continued. “For example, in the Brunete and Canal + tournaments, I’m the top scorer and the best player. Both years.
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“Messi wasn’t there and he came the following year, and of course, when I saw him coming… of those of us who were theoretically in my position, no one could compete with me.”
“I was always the top scorer and played everything. But when Messi came to the first training session, I said, ‘Ugh.’
“The thing is, he played at No10 and I played at No9, so we were taking each other’s place.”
Despite how their careers panned out, however, Fernandez insists he has no regrets, adding: “I was given many opportunities. They say in life that a train passes you by, but ten or 12 have passed me by and I haven’t gotten on any of them.
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“I don’t regret it. Life takes many twists and turns, and football is very difficult, and thanks to that, I’m with my wife and have three children.”
Baby's career a cautionary tale for Yamal
Fernandez’s career and fall from the limelight, though, is a cautionary tale for current Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.
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Yamal, who finished second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or and is expected to finish first next year, exploded onto the scene in the 2023/24 season and was instrumental in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.
The 18-year-old, though, has endured a couple of spells on the sidelines this season while his personal life is routinely discussed in the media.
Topics: Football, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal, Injury
Ben McAleer