A former agent of Barcelona star Leo Messi has revealed how close he came to joining Real Madrid.

Horacio Gaggioli told Globoesporte of Messi's original move to Spain.

"Due to life circumstances, I went to live in Barcelona and I brought him to Barça for a trial. But I was about to live in Madrid," Gaggioli revealed.

"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, of course.

"The family wanted to come to Spain, to the city where I was to have some support."