Former Real Madrid technical secretary Miguel Ángel Portugal has claimed that Los Blancos had the chance to sign Lionel Messi in 2001, before the Argentine signed a professional contract at Barcelona.
Portugal worked at the Santiago Bernabéu as a player, Castilla coach, scout and technical secretary, a role he held between 2007 and 2009. Speaking to AS about the players he monitored during his recruitment years at Real Madrid, he said (via Madrid Universal):
