A true gem from the past has stirred emotions across the football world. A rare video has gone viral showing a 9-year-old Lionel Messi juggling a ball on the pitch at Newell’s Old Boys, as fans chanted “Maradó, Maradó,” already comparing him to Diego Armando Maradona. The footage, filmed in 1996, comes from the celebrations after Newell’s youth teams won the Copa Internacional de la Amistad.

The video was uploaded to YouTube by user Matías Sauro, who explained that the footage had been stored away for nearly 30 years. In it, a tiny Messi, wearing the number 11 shirt and canvas sneakers, is seen juggling the ball effortlessly in front of a packed crowd at the Coloso Marcelo Bielsa. The reaction was instant—fans erupting as they witnessed the early talent of a boy who would one day win the World Cup with Argentina.

A birthday tribute fit for a legend

The emotional clip resurfaced just days after Messi’s 38th birthday. As part of the celebration, Newell’s Old Boys announced that one of the stadium’s new stands will be named the Lionel Andrés Messi Stand, located in the Palomar section. The club shared the news with a nostalgia-filled tribute video, highlighting the unbreakable bond between Messi, his childhood, and the red-and-black shirt.

The new stand will face the existing Diego Armando Maradona Stand, creating an iconic image—Argentina’s two greatest legends sharing the same stadium. As a special detail, the stand will feature the number “10” in the same font used by Argentina during the Qatar 2022 World Cup, where Messi lifted the trophy.

With the Coloso Marcelo Bielsa currently under renovation, Newell’s hopes to unveil the Messi Stand in mid-July, just in time for the Clausura Tournament. But beyond the structural upgrades, the fans are holding on to one dream: to see Leo Messi wear the shirt where it all began—one last time.