Barcelona forward Lionel Messi said there was the possibility that he could have been a River Plate player when he was younger.
Messi is in Japan as Barcelona prepare to face Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup.
"Yes, but that’s a very long time ago now," he told FIFA.com.
"In the end it didn’t happen, but it is true that the possibility did come about, when I was very young."
On playing an Argentinean club, Messi said: "It’s a strange feeling. In my whole career I’ve only played against an Argentinian club once, and it was that final against Estudiantes.
"It was a very tough game, one in which we were losing for a long period and managed to equalise right on full time, before going on to win it in extra time.
"But it’s also something that motivates me, because River are a big club on a global scale. I think that if we play against them it’ll be a good match."
