Ex-Barcelona Star Shockingly Claims Mauro Icardi Killed and Ate a Pigeon During Time at La Masia

Sergi Gomez Reveals Bizarre Story From Barcelona Academy About Mauro Icardi’s Alleged Homemade Hunt

Footballers often make headlines for their goals, transfers, or personal lives—but sometimes, it’s the stories from their youth that leave people truly speechless. That’s exactly what happened this week when Sergi Gomez, a former Barcelona youth product, appeared on a Spanish podcast and told a tale so unexpected, it’s left fans around the world doing a double-take.

According to Gomez, during their time together at La Masia, Barcelona’s legendary youth academy, Mauro Icardi not only killed a pigeon with a homemade slingshot—but also cooked and ate it.

Wait, what?

Yes, you read that correctly.

What Happened? A Homemade Slingshot and an Unexpected Meal

The story surfaced on Post United, a Spanish-language podcast where former players often share behind-the-scenes anecdotes from their careers. Gomez, now playing for Albacete in the Spanish second division, was reminiscing about his teenage years when he casually dropped the most surreal memory imaginable.

“Mauro arrived at La Masía and we were teammates for three or four seasons,” Gomez began. “During one of those seasons, we shared an apartment. One day he said to me: ‘Sergi, come with me to the park next door.’ He had a Y-shaped piece of wood with a rubber band—he had made a slingshot. We went to the park, and he pointed up a tall pine tree.”

At first, Gomez thought Mauro Icardi was aiming at pine cones. But Mauro Icardi had spotted something else: a pigeon sitting high up in the tree.

“He grabbed a rock, pulled back the slingshot and… boom. He hit the pigeon from 20 or 30 meters. Then we went back to La Masia, he plucked the feathers, threaded a wire through it, lit a fire and ate it. Right in front of me.”

If you’re trying to visualize this like a scene out of a survival documentary, you’re not alone.

A Shock That Still Lingers

Gomez’s tone was not judgmental—if anything, it was affectionate and nostalgic. But the sheer vividness of the tale, combined with the fact that it involved one of modern football’s most polarizing figures, made it an instant viral moment.

“I remember thinking, ‘What awaits me if we’re starting like this?’” Gomez laughed. “But I have a lot of affection for Mauro. We lived through a lot together, and if he sees this, he’ll know I say it with love.”

This wasn’t just a random story—this was the opening act in what would become the curious and controversial career of Mauro Icardi.

icardi wanda nara

The Bigger Picture: Who Is Mauro Icardi?

If you only know Mauro Icardi from his goal-scoring days at Inter Milan or his often chaotic tabloid appearances alongside Wanda Nara, this story might come as no surprise. Mauro Icardi’s career has been anything but dull.

After his stint at La Masia, the Argentine forward moved to Sampdoria and later rose to stardom with Inter, where he captained the club and was twice named Serie A’s top scorer. A big-money move to Paris Saint-Germain followed, before he eventually found his way to Galatasaray in Turkey.

Throughout it all, Mauro Icardi has remained a lightning rod for attention—not just for his on-pitch exploits, but for his high-profile personal life and an infamous feud with former teammate Maxi López.

Now, this pigeon story adds yet another bizarre layer to the ever-unfolding Mauro Icardi narrative.

Was It Just a Teenager Being a Teenager?

To be fair, it’s entirely possible that what Gomez described was simply a moment of teenage curiosity taken a little too far. After all, La Masia isn’t just a training ground—it’s a boarding school, and players as young as 13 live together, often far from home and under pressure.

In that context, Mauro Icardi’s pigeon hunt sounds less like a ritual and more like something out of “Stand by Me” meets survival camp.

But what’s astonishing is the fact that Mauro Icardi not only hunted the bird—he ate it. That’s where most people draw the line. Many fans are asking the same question: Was he just that hungry? Or was this some kind of primal flex?

We may never know.

Galatasaray v Pendikspor – Turkish Super League

What’s Next for Mauro Icardi?

While fans are still digesting (pun intended) this wild anecdote, Mauro Icardi is working his way back from a serious knee injury that saw him miss significant action last season.

Galatasaray went on to win the Turkish Super Lig title, but they did it largely without their star striker. Still, Icardi’s contributions in the previous campaign and his leadership off the pitch have ensured he remains a fan favourite in Istanbul.

With the 2025–26 season around the corner, and Gala’s opener against Gazisehir on August 8, all eyes will be on whether Mauro Icardi can return to full fitness and fire the Lions toward another title—and possibly a deep Champions League run.

Did You Know?

• Mauro Icardi joined La Masia in 2008 at the age of 15, moving from his native Rosario, Argentina.

• He never made a senior appearance for Barcelona, choosing instead to sign with Sampdoria in 2011.

• Since then, he has scored over 200 senior goals across all competitions, including 124 for Inter and 38 for PSG.

• Off the pitch, he’s been just as eventful—his marriage to Wanda Nara, who was previously married to his former teammate, made headlines for years.

Now, thanks to Sergi Gomez, he might also go down in history as the first La Masia product to be linked with a homemade slingshot and a cooked pigeon.

Final Thoughts: The Legend Grows

Football is full of eccentric characters—Cantona, Balotelli, Gascoigne—and while Mauro Icardi’s on-pitch personality has always been serious and focused, this story offers a glimpse into the quirky, unpredictable young man behind the headlines.

It’s not every day that you hear of a teenager taking aim at a bird in a pine tree with a weapon he crafted himself, only to roast it for dinner like a scene from a Bear Grylls episode.

Whether you find it amusing, alarming, or just plain bizarre, one thing is for sure: Mauro Icardi continues to surprise us, even years after leaving Barcelona’s famed academy.

And somewhere in a park near La Masia, a few pigeons might still be telling their own cautionary tale.