They even stole his cleats so he could play… and today he is playing in a World Cup with Argentina 🇦🇷 Facundo Medina, 27, grew up collecting cardboard with his family in Villa Fiorito, the same neighborhood where Maradona was born.
At 14, he crossed Puente de la Noria to go train, and right there they would steal his coins, his cellphone, and even his backpack with his cleats.
His mother, Mónica, did not stand idly by. Tired of seeing her son lose everything on the way to a dream, she knocked on doors at River Plate and got the club to give him a place in the residence and at the school. That gesture changed the course of the entire family.
Today Medina plays for Olympique de Marsella and started the first two matches of the 2026 World Cup with the Argentina National Team, replacing the injured Nicolás Tagliafico.
He provided the assist for Messi’s first goal against Austria and became emotional when speaking about his mother: “It is a source of pride to represent my family, my mom”. The neighborhood is behind him, but the gratitude never went away.
