Mexico renovates Estadio Banorte to host 2026 World Cup<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nMessi and his strange unknown nickname<\/h2>\n
Hern Garundes, the current goalkeeper of the Argentinian club Urracun and the Ecuadorian national team, had to play against Leo in the youth division. While he was in goal for Rosario Central, Messi was already making a name for himself at Newell’s Old Boys. <\/p>\n
In an interview with ESPN, the 38-year-old goalkeeper revealed that even back then it was difficult to play against Lionel, recalling: “Messi played with the number 10 for Newell’s and many other teams…Every team that wanted to be champions approached him. That’s the truth.” <\/p>\n
In the interview, Gandes further revealed that Leo’s name resonated with other clubs and that he had a good reputation for his difficult fighting style. “He was famous. They always called him “El Colorado (the redhead), who plays number 10,” he recalled. This nickname referred not only to his appearance but also to his unique playing ability, which instilled fear in his opponents. \u201cIf you listen to that, we started from a 3-0 deficit,\u201d the goalie said. <\/p>\n
Looking back, Hahn recalled an old anecdote. “He was a beast. There’s video and that’s who he was. It was shocking for a player our age to handle the ball like that,” he began.<\/p>\n
In one of the photos, Leo is seen wearing the white and orange Abadrad Grandoli jersey, the team Hern also played against. “It was also very close to my house and my grandparents’ house. We used to play against each other there. My first memories of saves and goals were against him. He passed five teammates, including me,” the goalkeeper recalled. <\/p>\n
The truth is that this story does not end here, but a few years later Gandes had to play against “El Colorado, who plays with the number 10”, but this time he ended up defending the colors of his respective country. \u201cI was so proud to face him again as an adult,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He also revealed that he was able to swap jerseys with Leo at the request of his 8-year-old son. When I mentioned this to Leo Campana, my roommate from Ecuador and Messi’s teammate at Inter Miami, he suggested I speak to Lionel after the match and assured me that he already knew him. <\/p>\n
He succeeded in exchanging jerseys with him, fulfilling not only his son’s wish, but also the boy’s wish to play against El Colorado, who plays with the number 10 on his back.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n
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