In 2007, the two biggest soccer teams in the world met for another edition of one of soccer’s greatest rivalries: Barcelona vs Real Madrid, or El Clasico. Luckily for Barcelona, a certain tiny teenager in their starting XI took over the game and rescued the defending European champions, down a man, and out of time. How did Lionel Messi launch himself into soccer’s stratosphere, and how did he get there in the first place? Well, to put it simply: because he was so short.

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