Junior Messias reflected on his journey from amateur football to ‘a decisive goal in the Champions League’, revealing that some Milan fans sent threats before he joined the club.
The Brazilian winger started out as a deliveryman and brick layer whilst playing amateur football before rising up the ranks, breaking into Serie A with Crotone in the 2020-21 campaign, where he netted nine goals and provided four assists across 36 league matches.
Milan decided to take a punt on Messias in the summer of 2021, picking him up on a €2m loan deal with a €6m buy option attached. He showed some positives during his two-season spell in the Rossoneri first team, scoring 12 goals and providing five assists across 68 games.
Speaking to La Repubblica, Messias first reflected on his journey from amateur to professional football.
“It’s nice not to set limits, every time I moved up a division I wondered if I was up to the task. It was like this in the first year of Eccellenza as well as in Serie A. I started from the amateur divisions and ended up scoring goals in the Champions League.”
He looked back at his decisive Champions League goal with Milan against Atletico Madrid back in November 2021.
“At the Metropolitano, a stadium that is a jewel. If we didn’t win, we were out. I came on in the 78th minute, scored with a header three minutes from the end.
“I got past two opponents and moved towards Teo Hernandez, who gave it deep for the insertion of Kessie and on the cross I was in the right place. I will remember that goal for the rest of my life and the Milan fans won’t forget it either.
“At the end of the match I was crying, from UISP (social programme, ed.) to the decisive goal in the Champions League, a dream! Ibrahimovic came to hug me: ‘Don’t do that, otherwise I’ll cry too’.
“But let’s not say that Ibra was moved, otherwise he’ll kill me… Anyone who doesn’t know him can’t imagine what an extraordinary character he is. Great humanity and incredible sympathy.”
Finally, Messias commented on the difficulties of playing at Milan and the threats he received from supporters.
“Two or three years great and then I’ll stop. Football is tiring, the two years at Milan weren’t easy. In fact, very complicated at the beginning. There were also some fans who threatened me, trouble for you if you come to Milan.
“They are used to players with an important pedigree, I came from Crotone and until a few years before I played in Eccellenza and in Serie D. However, I can say with satisfaction that in the end they appreciated my work.”