9 players who preferred Barcelona to Real Madrid: Neymar, Messi, Eto'o...
Only a number of footballers have been talented enough for Barcelona and Real Madrid to pursue signings at the same time and these nine excellent players have chosen to wear the Blaugrana shirt.
The two Spanish giants are arguably the two biggest football clubs in the world and usually capable of signing whoever they want. But, when two tribes go to war over the signing of a superstar player, there has to be a loser.
And, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil and David Beckham chose Madrid, many others couldn't resist the lure of Camp Nou.
We've identified nine players who chose Barcelona over Real Madrid and their reasons for doing so.
NeymarIt's an open secret that Madrid wanted to sign Neymar during the Santos era.
The first time came in 2006 when he was just 13 years old as Madrid wanted to sign him at the academy. And in 2013, the club engaged in a bidding war with Barcelona over his services.
Neymar claims to have chosen the latter for footballing reasons.
"I sent offers from Chelsea and Real Madrid to Santos," Wagner Riberio, Neymar's former agent, told UOL Esporte, per Goal. “The one from Barcelona went straight to the father. I wanted him to go to Madrid, I always said that.
"Economically it was a better deal for Santos and even better for the player. But he decided to go to Barcelona because they were his heart's team."
Lionel MessiMessi dressed in white and strutting at the Bernabeu? You can't imagine it, can you?
But it could have happened according to Messi's former agent Horacio Gaggioli, who told ESPN the six-time Ballon d'Or winner could have signed for Real Madrid as a youngster.
"Due to life circumstances, I went to live in Barcelona and brought him to Barca for a trial," Gaggioli said.
"But I was about to live in Madrid. If that had happened, I would have taken him to Madrid for a trial. That's life; those are the details. Today, Messi could have been a Real Madrid player."
And, according to Spanish outlet Cadena COPE, Florentino Perez tried to bring the Argentine star to Madrid on three occasions - but Messi responded with a 'Thank you, but no' to each of Perez's offers.
>READ: Seven times Lionel Messi completely destroyed Real Madrid in El Clasico
Dani Alves"I never hid that my transfer to Real Madrid was almost over...my destiny changed and I arrived at Barcelona instead," Alves revealed in a radio interview in 2016.< /p>
We believe he pretty much made the right decision; in his first season at the club, Alves won a remarkable hat-trick of trophies in Pep Guardiola's famous side that won La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey triumphs in the 2008-09 campaign .
And the full-back won five more league titles, two Champions Leagues and three Copa del Rey winners' medals at Camp Nou during a glittering career.
Cesc FabregasFabregas graduated from the famed La Masia academy but moved to Arsenal aged 16 and established himself as one of the best midfielders of his generation.
While Fabregas returned to Barcelona in 2011, he later revealed that Madrid president Ramon Calderon made a last-ditch attempt to bring him to the Bernabeu.
In an interview, Fabregas revealed: "The fact that you are wanted by Madrid, one of the greatest teams in history, is important." Asked about his response to Calderon, the World Cup winner admitted he didn't say 'no', but rather 'not now'.
The Spaniard enjoyed a successful three-year stint with Barcelona, where he won La Liga, Copa Del Rey, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Super Cup from Spain.
Luis SuarezSuarez was at his professional peak in 2014, having scored 30 league goals for Liverpool and knocked England out of the World Cup.
His departure from Anfield quickly became inevitable, with the two Spanish giants battling for his signature.
"Real Madrid were very interested in me, but my dream has always been to play for Barca," Suarez said on El Partido de las 12 s de COPE...
Only a number of footballers have been talented enough for Barcelona and Real Madrid to pursue signings at the same time and these nine excellent players have chosen to wear the Blaugrana shirt.
The two Spanish giants are arguably the two biggest football clubs in the world and usually capable of signing whoever they want. But, when two tribes go to war over the signing of a superstar player, there has to be a loser.
And, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil and David Beckham chose Madrid, many others couldn't resist the lure of Camp Nou.
We've identified nine players who chose Barcelona over Real Madrid and their reasons for doing so.
NeymarIt's an open secret that Madrid wanted to sign Neymar during the Santos era.
The first time came in 2006 when he was just 13 years old as Madrid wanted to sign him at the academy. And in 2013, the club engaged in a bidding war with Barcelona over his services.
Neymar claims to have chosen the latter for footballing reasons.
"I sent offers from Chelsea and Real Madrid to Santos," Wagner Riberio, Neymar's former agent, told UOL Esporte, per Goal. “The one from Barcelona went straight to the father. I wanted him to go to Madrid, I always said that.
"Economically it was a better deal for Santos and even better for the player. But he decided to go to Barcelona because they were his heart's team."
Lionel MessiMessi dressed in white and strutting at the Bernabeu? You can't imagine it, can you?
But it could have happened according to Messi's former agent Horacio Gaggioli, who told ESPN the six-time Ballon d'Or winner could have signed for Real Madrid as a youngster.
"Due to life circumstances, I went to live in Barcelona and brought him to Barca for a trial," Gaggioli said.
"But I was about to live in Madrid. If that had happened, I would have taken him to Madrid for a trial. That's life; those are the details. Today, Messi could have been a Real Madrid player."
And, according to Spanish outlet Cadena COPE, Florentino Perez tried to bring the Argentine star to Madrid on three occasions - but Messi responded with a 'Thank you, but no' to each of Perez's offers.
>READ: Seven times Lionel Messi completely destroyed Real Madrid in El Clasico
Dani Alves"I never hid that my transfer to Real Madrid was almost over...my destiny changed and I arrived at Barcelona instead," Alves revealed in a radio interview in 2016.< /p>
We believe he pretty much made the right decision; in his first season at the club, Alves won a remarkable hat-trick of trophies in Pep Guardiola's famous side that won La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey triumphs in the 2008-09 campaign .
And the full-back won five more league titles, two Champions Leagues and three Copa del Rey winners' medals at Camp Nou during a glittering career.
Cesc FabregasFabregas graduated from the famed La Masia academy but moved to Arsenal aged 16 and established himself as one of the best midfielders of his generation.
While Fabregas returned to Barcelona in 2011, he later revealed that Madrid president Ramon Calderon made a last-ditch attempt to bring him to the Bernabeu.
In an interview, Fabregas revealed: "The fact that you are wanted by Madrid, one of the greatest teams in history, is important." Asked about his response to Calderon, the World Cup winner admitted he didn't say 'no', but rather 'not now'.
The Spaniard enjoyed a successful three-year stint with Barcelona, where he won La Liga, Copa Del Rey, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Super Cup from Spain.
Luis SuarezSuarez was at his professional peak in 2014, having scored 30 league goals for Liverpool and knocked England out of the World Cup.
His departure from Anfield quickly became inevitable, with the two Spanish giants battling for his signature.
"Real Madrid were very interested in me, but my dream has always been to play for Barca," Suarez said on El Partido de las 12 s de COPE...
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