Spain tried to snatch Lionel Messi from Argentina, reveals Vicente del Bosque

Attempt made when Argentinian was Barcelona youngster

Lionel Messi in action for Argentina (GETTY IMAGES)

Vicente del Bosque, the Spain coach, has made the startling revelation that the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) tried to persuade the Argentinian four-time Ballon D’Or winner, Leo Messi, to play for them.

In an interview ahead of Spain’s meeting with England on Friday in Alicante Del Bosque tells The Independent that the approach to Messi was made when he first came to prominence as a young player at Barcelona – and suggested players switching international teams was a phenomenon no leading football nation could now ignore. Del Bosque also promised to persevere with Chelsea’s misfiring striker Diego Costa who was persuaded to switch allegiance to Spain from Brazil.

When asked if after having successfully poached Costa from Brazil he wishes the RFEF had done the same with Messi, Del Bosque said: “There was an attempt to do that at the time but he decided to stick with the country of his birth; he remained steadfast.”

Messi moved to Barcelona when he was 13 and did not make his senior debut for Argentina until he was 18. Whenever “the greatest of all time” debate comes up, his detractors point out his lack of silverware at international level. At club level he has won the lot – and has had the twin Spanish talents of his Barcelona team-mates Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta alongside him along the way.

Of course, Del Bosque’s Spain won the European Championship in 2008 and the World Cup two years later. Messi could have been a part of that – but for the strength of his allegiance to his homeland.

Brazilian-born Costa, meanwhile, should start for Spain against his club-mate Gary Cahill on Friday in an attempt to improve on a run of just one goal in his first nine games for his adopted country and Del Bosque said he plans to persevere with him despite his disappointing form.

A stalwart traditionalist the 65-year-old coach surprised many people in football back in 2013 when he sat down with Costa at Spain’s Las Rozas Cuidad de Futbol training complex and asked the then Atletico Madrid forward to switch allegiance.

The player had played in two friendlies for Brazil that year but Fifa confirmed he had not been officially capped and was free to change sides on the grounds of residency.

“This is a phenomenon that we cannot turn our back on; we can’t pretend it doesn’t exist,” Del Bosque says. “It happens too often for that, it’s too significant. You see the players coming from outside of Spain and we don’t know where the next Messi or the next [Cristiano] Ronaldo is going to come from: it could be one of those who arrives here from another country looking to make a better life.”

Many Spain fans believe the recruitment of Costa has been a mistake but Del Bosque backed the 27-year-old to come good.

Asked if he believed Costa has failed in a Spain shirt because he can’t play their close passing game that inevitably makes rivals defend deep and closes down the space that he loves to run into, Del Bosque said: “Costa is not a problem for us. Football is universal. I don’t think a player can compromise a team’s style. We have people in midfield who are good on the ball so we need forwards who create space, who move away from their markers and commit defenders and that is something that Costa does.

“How can Costa be harmful for us? I don’t think we have had luck with him in the side but there is nothing about him as a player that goes against our football.”

Chelsea striker Diego Costa has vowed not to change his combative style (Getty Images)

Del Bosque has long been one of Costa’s most ardent defenders but he did give him a ticking off when he left him out of Spain’s last squad after his behaviour against Arsenal saw him pick up a three-match suspension.

He said at the time: “He is a good lad; a very good lad. A great guy. Away from the pitch he is nothing like the player who we see clashing wtih defenders. I can’t hide it when there is something I don’t like. I know what he is like. It makes me mad when he does these things because I know what a phenomenal guy he is.”

Spain could take advantage of the rules again before next summer’s tournament in France by poaching Athletic Bilbao’s French defender Aymeric Laporte. Laporte has played for France Under-21s and was born in Agen but he has been with Athletic Bilbao since he was 15 and Del Bosque has said in the past: “If he wants to play for Spain we would welcome him. He is a top player, one of the best defenders in La Liga.”

Vicente del Bosque with the World Cup trophy in 2010 (GETTY IMAGES)

Laporte is frustrated at being ignored by France manager Didier Deschamps who again overlooked the 21-year-old on Monday when he called up Loïc Perrin to replace the injured Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho for forthcoming games against Germany and England.