How relatives framed Messi, Ronaldinho and other stars

Because of close agents, Kane missed the chance to go to Manchester City, Messi almost ended up in jail and so did Ronaldinho! This article is about exciting facts that happened in the families of the most popular sports stars of the time. If you follow the world of sports and betting, you should take a look at reviews written by Bookmaker Ratings, like Superbet Review.

By the way, did you know that Ronaldinho and Anelka suffered because of brothers?

It’s natural when relatives become agents of deserving sportsmen. People tend to trust loved ones more, but blood ties are no guarantee of better conditions. Family members don’t always cope best with the legal, financial, and commercial nuances of an elite football career. Moreover, in situations where an honest agent is doing his job and collecting a commission, the brother-in-law may make the wrong decision, go too far in negotiations, be seduced by momentary advantages and thereby damage the player’s career.

In the summer of 1999, Arsenal’s young French goal-scorer Nicolas Anelka demanded a move to Real Madrid from the London management. Neither the persuasions of coach Arsene Wenger nor improved contract terms could change the player’s mind. In his autobiography, Nicolas Anelka admitted that his older brothers insisted on the switch and unsettled the striker with stories about how great he was. As a result, Anelka moved to Madrid for a whopping €26 million at the time, but never played for Real Madrid. Relatives made good money from the deal and the striker became a nomad: He played for Liverpool, Chelsea and other big clubs, but never stayed anywhere for long.

Ronaldinho suffered even more from his brother. Throughout his career, the Brazilian’s agent was his brother Roberto. Contracts with Barça, Milan and other top brands brought in around €90 million and it seemed the idle life would go on forever. So far, in 2018, only €6 has remained in his accounts. Roberto’s risky investments and Ronaldinho’s complete indifference to his finances have led to this result. What can you talk about when a footballer at the age of 35 doesn’t know how to withdraw money from a ATM. His brother’s dark deeds plunged the legend to the bottom of the Paraguayan prison, whereupon he took his brother out of business.

Kane misses chance at City over brother, Oezil sacks agent father

The biggest danger in a player’s association with a relative is that as the fee rises, the star’s agents begin to put personal gain above that of the client. One of the Premier League club’s officials told The Athletic a revealing story. “One day a relative of one of the club’s players came into my office and gave a long monologue about the sacrifices he once made for his son’s career and how he supported him at every stage of his education. And then he said, “It’s time to get something back”. He threw the footballer’s father out of office and ended the negotiations.

A similar approach is shown by the father of the famous Neymar. The father dreamed of a great career, but he didn’t have enough talent, so he sees his son’s rise as the realisation of his own dreams. He received €20 million just for his son’s contract extension with the Parisians in 2021. The footballer’s father has a brutal appetite, but it’s not a fact that a parent cannot be overwhelmed by money, and then the striker himself can suffer. The most vivid example of this is Messi.

Another father in the role of agent

The touching story of Leo signing his first contract with Barcelona on a napkin is in stark contrast to the atmosphere in the courtroom in the footballer’s tax evasion case. In 2017, Messi was found guilty on all charges by Spanish prosecutors. The footballer was given a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and a fine of €2 million. Leo’s agent and father Jorge, who was used to finding simple solutions to complex problems, advised Leo to hide his earnings from the Spanish crown. Messi Sr’s mediocre agent qualities are evident in his attempt to terminate his contract with Barcelona in 2020, but Jorge remembered to activate such an option 2.5 months after the due date. As a result, the Argentine smouldered for another season at the Camp Nou.

These dramatic stories teach us that it’s better not to mess with relatives. And what do you think?