Ilaix Moriba is a big fan of Lionel Messis. But now the 18-year-old is his fellow player at FC Barcelona – and feels like a dream.
Ilaix Moriba couldn’t really believe it.
He had just made his debut for FC Barcelona in La Liga in a 5-1 victory over Deportivo Alavés.
“I’m really very happy,” said the Guinean-born Spaniard according to Barcawelt: “Since I was a little kid, I’ve come to this stadium – playing here is an absolute dream.”
From Messi fan to Messi teammate
Against Cornellà in the Copa del Rey, the midfielder had celebrated his premiere with the pros in January, now followed by his first appearance in the Spanish league.
Instead of being a fan of Lionel Messi, Moriba now acts as his teammate. Matching this, the 18-year-old posted a comparative photo of the category “How it started – How it’s going” on Twitter.
Moriba chased by top clubs
The newest promoter from La Masia went through the youth teams of Barca since 2010 – at that time he was seven years old – after learning to play football with city rivals Espanyol.
In January 2019, the midfielder, who is partially compared to Paul Pogba for his stature and playing style, decided against Manchester City and Juventus’ interest and opted for a record-breaking contract in Barcelona that allegedly made him the highest-paid junior professional in the youth academy – and that includes an exit clause of 100 million euros.