Barcelona, for decades now, has been one of the epitomes of the sport and is often seen to be the pinnacle of football by many players looking for a golden career.
Several clubs have risen and fallen back into the abyss over the years, but only a few clubs like the Blaugrana have managed to retain their glory, name, and allure, not only for players but also for fans and supporters worldwide.
To date, players wait for the Barcelona train to pass by their doorstep, and it is exactly the same as what the greats of the sport did decades ago in their day and age. Time has flown by, but Barcelona’s appeal to the biggest names on the planet has remained constant.
Inter Milan legend was close to joining Barcelona
Speaking to MARCA in a recent interview, former Italy striker Mario Balotelli opened up on how he was, in fact, close to signing for the Catalan giants very early on in his career and how a small factor turned the tables around.
“When I was 15 years old, there was a contact from Barcelona, and I spent about a month there, in Barcelona,” he began.
PARMA, ITALY - NOVEMBER 04: Mario Balotelli of Genoa acknowledges the fans during the Serie A match between Parma and Genoa at Stadio Ennio Tardini on November 04, 2024 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Balotelli came close to joining Barcelona. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
“But Lumezzane, my team at the time, asked for a lot of money,” he added, revealing that the hurdle was financial in nature.
Balotelli then spoke on how the asking fee was a dealbreaker for Barcelona, and understandably, so given that he was only 15 years of age at the time and still unproven.
“I was 15 years old, and they weren’t interested in spending that large amount on a young player, and in the end, instead, I signed with Inter.”
Reminiscing about his days in Catalonia, the legend finally recalled the names to rubbed shoulders with at the time and how some of them went on to become great names.
“In the team I played for during that month or so, there was Bojan [Krkic], [Giovani] Dos Santos, Thiago Alcantara, but I didn’t see the first-team players. No, I didn’t see them.”