Albin Larsson travelled to Lionel Messi’s home city of Rosario to see the Barça star’s roots.
Soon the Swede had been invited in by none other than Lionel Messi himself.

Albin told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet about his amazing story. The original article can be found here.

“The lady who owned the hostel I lived in drove me, and we found his childhood home.”

After finding the house Leo had grown up in, Albin felt that he just needed to knock. So he did and Lionel’s mom and dad opened the door. “They were really nice and gave me the address of Messi’s Aunt where they said he was.”

Albin went on to the Aunt’s house. When he got there, she told him Leo wasn’t home but he could wait if he wanted, so he did and soon Messi arrived in a black BMW. Albin introduced himself and told Messi that he had travelled all the way from Sweden, and in the next moment Leo had invited him in. They stood in the hallway and talked for around half an hour. “He was awfully humble and calm, just as you believe he would be.”

They talked about the World Cup, the future, and other stuff Albin says should stay between the two of them. Although it was one topic Albin didn’t want to take up, he clarifies: “I didn’t talk about Zlatan. I don’t know how their relationship was and didn’t want to take the topic up if it was negative.” Before Albin left they wished each other a Merry Christmas as their meeting happened on Christmas Eve.

“It was a fantastic moment. My dream was only to see the area where he had grown up and maybe the place where he kicked his first football.”

His friends thought he was crazy when he told them that he was going to Argentina only to see Lionel Messi’s childhood neighborhood. But for Albin the trip turned into an amazing journey and to meet Messi was a great bonus.