"Messi: The Forgotten Tape" Debuts This Weekend, Shining Light on Little Known Story

A new documentary is ready to arrive on ESPN and ESPN Deportes this weekend, uncovering a little-known story in modern football history, with Messi: The Forgotten Tape.

What's Happening:

• ESPN has announced the premiere of Messi: The Forgotten Tape, a new ESPN Films short documentary uncovering one of the most consequential and little-known stories in modern football history.
• The documentary highlights the pivotal moment that helped shape Lionel Messi’s international future and altered the trajectory of global football.
• In 2004, as the internet was still in its early stages, the news that a young Argentine was tearing it up in Spain was slow to arrive in his native South American country.
• So, when a 16-year-old Lionel Messi was beginning to turn heads in FC Barcelona, the federation couldn’t believe this young player, who was on course to obtain Spanish citizenship, was still not representing a nation.
• A VHS tape with highlights of the young phenom was commissioned for a Barça TV journalist to put together and hand-delivered to an Argentine National Football Team assistant coach in hopes this would lead to a call-up.
• The tape would travel across the world and quietly set in motion a pivotal decision between Spain and Argentina, culminating in a story never-before-told in a documentary: how two friendly matches were quickly scheduled by the Argentine Football Association with one purpose — to secure Lionel Messi’s future with Argentina.
• Messi: The Forgotten Tape is part of ESPN’s special news and information coverage leading into the 2026 World Cup. ESPN will deliver extensive English- and Spanish-language news and information coverage of the tournament across its media platforms, bringing fans closer to the biggest storylines on and off the pitch.
• Messi: The Forgotten Tape is set to debuting Sunday, May 10 at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. It will also stream on Disney+ internationally at a later date.

A Bit About Messi:

• For nearly two decades, Lionel Messi has rose to fame and become an international football (or soccer) legend, and is widely regarded as one of the best to ever play the sport professionally.
• Born in 1987, Messi faced physical challenges as he grew up that could have ended his football dreams before the even began. However, his talent was caught by the aforementioned FC Barcelona, offering to support his medical treatment and bring him to the famed youth academy, La Masia.
• At FC Barcelona, Messi went from skilled teenage to a global icon.
• While we don't want to spoil much more that could be in the new documentary, we'll jump ahead to today, as Messi continues his career in Miami, where his presence has helped transform the popularity of Major League Soccer in the United States.