10 football superstars that were rejected as youngsters
The football industry, like any other industry, is built around decisions. The world of the king of sports would arguably be quite different today had some decisions been made differently. Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Ronaldo, among others, may not have developed the way they did.
Here, I present some distinctive cases of football superstars that were rejected as youngsters by clubs. A lapse in judgment, impatience, as well as economic factors, led club executives to miss the chance to sign players that would later become one of the game's finest. Fortunately, these footballers did not give up at the time and are now considered among the best ever to play the game. After all, for every success, there is a rejection.
Arguably, the history of football would have been written in a completely different way if those decisions of rejection had not been taken. It may be the case that some of these football prodigies might never have become what they have become as of today.
#10 Harry Kane
Harry Kane is arguably another flub of Arsenal. Kane was a member of the Gunners' academies but, per reports, the administration decided to release the player at the age of 8 because he was 'a bit chubby'.
He ultimately joined Tottenham a few years later and rose to become one of the best strikers to play in the Premier League. He is now fifth in the list of the club's top goalscorers with 146 goals. In the 2015/16 season, he became the first English player to win the Premier League Golden Boot in 16 years.
#9 Antoine Griezmann
Griezmann's dream to become a professional footballer came, thankfully only temporarily, to a halt when he was rejected as a youngster by Olympique Lyon. According to reports, Lyon, like many other French clubs before them, passed on the chance to sign the Frenchman on the accounts of his physical characteristics. He was seen as a short, very slim boy who did not have the standards to play professionally.
Lyon, as well as other French clubs, now rue missing the chance to sign Griezmann. At the age of 15, while being on a trial with Montpellier, he attracted the interest of Eric Olhats, a scout, who convinced Real Sociedad into giving the young player a chance. The rest is known history.