Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Football
Luke Davies
A former Barcelona starlet who once supposedly outshone Lionel Messi at La Masia is now living a very different life away from football.
The name Gabriel Santiago Fernandez – also known as ‘Baby’ – may not mean too much to the modern-day football fan, but at one time, the Barca academy product was tipped for greatness.
Now 39, the former forward has opened up about his time at the iconic academy and even claimed that he outshone Messi, who is a year younger at 38.
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In an interview with tonipadillasport360, relayed by MARCA, Fernandez has detailed why he believes he did not reach the hefty heights once expected of him.
“At Barcelona, they saw great potential in me,” Fernandez said.
“At Barça, it's difficult to be the starting centre forward for eight or nine years and still be respected and given the opportunity... at Barça, kids are constantly coming and going. For eight years, he was the benchmark and the striker who scored the most goals.
"They saw that I had a lot of potential... but responsibly, I didn't put much effort into it.”
Fernandez even explained how he was often the best player and top scorer at youth tournaments, stressing how “no one could compete with me”.
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On Messi, he said: "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 number 10 and I played at number 9, so we were taking each other's place."
The Spaniard added that another player named Oriol Riera began playing ahead of him, which he found “difficult” to “understand”.
As a result, Fernandez “wanted to leave” but Barca came back with an eight-year contract offer, which he rejected in favour of leaving. He was then reportedly blocked from joining both Atletico and Real Madrid.
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He added: "Names like Real Madrid, Atlético and Villarreal were mentioned, but it wasn't to be. I went to Damm for six months, and at 17 I signed for Figueres, where Tito Vilanova was, in Second Division B. I was there for two years and then at Gavá, in the Third Division. From Gavá to Córdoba for a year, and then to Almería, where I signed for three years. They wanted to renew my contract, but I signed for Real Mallorca.”
And it was during his time at Real Mallorca that, by his own admission, he lost everything after breaking his tibia.
"I was out of action for a year and a half and fell into depression,” Fernandez admitted.
“I didn't want to play; my leg was hurting.”
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Fernandez never reached his potential, but admitted that he doesn’t regret it.
Instead, he remains grateful for his wife, three kids and the experience of playing at one of the world’s most successful academies.