lionel messi biography in spanish

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Lionel Messi

(Lionel Andrés Messi; Rosario, Santa Fe, 1987) Futbolista argentino. Poseedor de una habilidad técnica excepcional, una endiablada velocidad y una inventiva inagotable, desde que llegó de la mano de sus padres al F.C. Barcelona, con 13 años de edad, realizó una carrera vertiginosa por las diferentes categorías hasta el primer equipo, en el que debutó con apenas 16 años en un partido amistoso ante el Oporto. En 2004, con 17 años, Leo Messi jugó su primer encuentro oficial de la Liga española. Con 18 años le llegó su consagración internacional: formó parte de la selección argentina, campeona en el Mundial Juvenil Sub-20 de Holanda, disputado en 2005.

Pero su verdadera eclosión se produjo con la llegada de Pep Guardiola al banquillo azulgrana: durante las cuatro temporadas en que el técnico dirigió el equipo (2008-2012), sus estadísticas goleadoras alcanzaron niveles estratosféricos, contribuyendo de forma decisiva a que el Barça viviese la mejor etapa de su historia al hacerse con 14 títulos de los 18 posibles. Considerado unánimemente el mejor futbolista del momento, su talento individual se ha visto reconocido en cinco ocasiones con el Balón de Oro (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 y 2015).

Biografía

Conocido como Leo o Pulga , su inmensa calidad ya apuntaba cuando tenía cinco años y jugaba en el club de barrio de su ciudad natal dirigido por su padre, un empleado de la industria metalúrgica, y se reafirmó cuando, a partir de sus siete años, comenzó a jugar en las divisiones inferiores del Newell's Old Boys de Rosario.

A los 10 años, a punto de dar el salto al club River Plate de Buenos Aires, se le detectó un retraso en el desarrollo óseo causado por un bajo nivel de hormonas del crecimiento; el tratamiento médico era muy costoso, los clubes no quisieron afrontarlo y su padre, que no disponía de los recursos económicos necesarios, decidió entonces emigrar a Barcelona con su familia, donde se le había presentado una posibilidad laboral. En septiembre de 2000, Leo Messi realizaba una prueba en el F.C. Barcelona; el técnico Carles Rexach quedó maravillado con su talento futbolístico y, firmando en efecto un contrato en una servilleta de papel, como cuenta la anécdota, lo incorporó al club, que se hizo cargo del tratamiento del chico. Messi tenía entonces trece años y medía 1,40.

A partir de ese momento Messi se formaría en la Masia, centro de entrenamiento de la cantera azulgrana, donde pasó por las diferentes categorías (Infantil A, Cadete B, Cadete A, Juvenil A, Barça C y Barça B) antes de llegar al primer equipo, ya en la era del presidente Joan Laporta. Aunque participó en el amistoso que enfrentó al FC Barcelona con el FC Porto en el partido de inauguración del Estadio do Dragáo (16 de noviembre de 2003), su debut oficial en primera división con la camiseta azulgrana se produjo el 16 de octubre de 2004 en Montjuic, en el clásico derby con el Español de Barcelona.

Lo demás es historia reciente. A sus 17 años la Pulga marcaba su primer gol como profesional en el Barça en un partido contra el Albacete, y se convertía en el jugador más joven del equipo azulgrana en lograr un tanto en la Liga española. Durante esa temporada 2004-2005, las lesiones que arrastraban algunas figuras del primer equipo y su brillante trayectoria en el filial hicieron que fuese un habitual en las convocatorias y que contribuyera a la consecución del título de Liga, el primero de su palmarés.

Pero la progresión del ariete no había hecho más que empezar. La temporada 2005-2006, después de un gran debut en el trofeo Joan Gamper contra la Juventus de Turín, fue ya sin duda una buena campaña, aunque una lesión muscular lo apartó de los terrenos de juego en el tramo final de la competición. Se exhibió en el Santiago Bernabéu, en un memorable partido en el que los azulgranas vencieron al Real Madrid por 0-3, y en Stamford Bridge, en los octavos de final de la Liga de Campeones contra el Chelsea. El resultado de la temporada para el equipo de Frank Rijkaard no pudo ser mejor: ganó la Supercopa de España, la Liga y la Liga de Campeones, la segunda de su historia.

En 2006-2007 las cosas no fueron tan bien para el Barça, que no ganó ningún título importante, pero Messi deleitó a los aficionados con jugadas espectaculares que ya lo postularon entre los mejores jugadores del mundo. Entre sus momentos de gloria se cuenta el haber logrado los tres goles del Barcelona que le valieron el empate frente al Real Madrid, en el partido disputado en el Camp Nou el 10 de marzo de 2007.

Otro momento estelar en la biografía de Leo Messi fue su hazaña del 18 de abril de ese mismo año, en las semifinales de la Copa del Rey contra el Getafe, cuando eludió a cinco jugadores, portero incluido, e hizo el segundo gol de su equipo. Esta genialidad dio la vuelta al mundo y todos lo compararon con el Maradona que coronó el célebre "Gol del siglo" ante Inglaterra, en el Mundial de México de 1986. La progresión del jugador continuó en 2007-2008, una temporada difícil para el equipo, que vio cómo se agotaba el proyecto liderado por Ronaldinho y acababa la era de Frank Rijkaard en el banquillo.

El gol frente al Getafe fue de inmediato comparado con el "Gol del siglo" de Maradona

La era Guardiola

El FC Barcelona inició la temporada 2008-2009 con un nuevo proyecto que generó un cierto escepticismo entre los culés. El presidente Laporta había confiado el banquillo a un hombre de la casa, Josep Guardiola , con buenos resultados en el filial pero sin experiencia en primera. Los más optimistas auguraban buenos resultados a largo plazo. Pero la historia fue otra. Los chicos de Guardiola, con Messi convertido en crack indiscutible, pergeñaron la campaña futbolística más apasionante en décadas. Con un fútbol de libro, alabado en Europa y en el mundo, encadenaron victorias y resultados que pulverizaron todos los récords y consiguieron lo que parecía imposible: ganar en una misma temporada la Copa del Rey, la Liga y la Liga de Campeones, un triplete histórico que nunca antes había logrado ningún equipo español.

En esta campaña, Messi completó su primera temporada sin lesiones y superó su récord de partidos jugados (51) y goles (38). El argentino fue decisivo en las finales de Copa y Champions -marcó el segundo gol del Barça en cada una de ellas-, y, entre goles antológicos, fue el artífice de dos de los seis tantos que encajó el Real Madrid en el Santiago Bernabéu.

Los tres títulos obtenidos en la temporada 2008-2009 daban acceso al club a disputar otros tantos torneos a principios de la siguiente, antes de terminar el año: la Supercopa de España, la Supercopa de Europa y el Mundial de Clubs. En todos ellos resultó vencedor el Barça, marcando un récord histórico: levantar en un solo año los seis trofeos de las seis competiciones en que participaba. No hay duda de que, junto al entrenador, la explosión de Leo Messi fue una de las claves de que la era Guardiola (2008-2012) haya pasado a la historia como la mejor del club. El equipo conquistó durante ese cuatrienio 14 títulos de 18 posibles: a los seis citados, hay que sumar otras dos Liga españolas (2009-2010 y 2010-2011), otra Liga de Campeones en 2010-2011 (la tercera de Messi y la cuarta de la historia del club), la Copa del Rey (2011-2012), la Supercopa de Europa (2011), dos Supercopas de España (2010 y 2011) y el Mundial de Clubs de 2011.

De hasta qué punto el papel de Leo Messi en tales triunfos fue determinante pueden dar una idea las estadísticas. De los 16 goles marcados por Messi en la temporada 2007-2008, pasó a anotar 38, 47, 53 y 73 tantos en los cuatro años de la era Guardiola, cifras de por sí estratosféricas que pueden indicar además, en su progresión, que aún no ha tocado techo, como lo ilustran otros aspectos en que sus números mejoran cada año. Ya no sólo hay que valorar su virtuosismo en el regate (sus cambios de ritmo rompen a los rivales hasta el punto de que el técnico del Arsenal, Arsène Wenger, lo llamó "jugador de PlayStation") y su extraordinaria precisión en los disparos y remates, sino también una visión del juego que ha hecho de él un excelente pasador: de apenas tres o cuatro asistencias de gol en sus primeras temporadas, pasó a 29 en la temporada 2011-2012.

A estas alturas ya eran muy pocos los expertos, entrenadores y colegas que no lo consideraban el mejor jugador del mundo. La prensa deportiva y las federaciones internacionales lo reconocían como tal, y además de los incontables títulos de su palmarés deportivo, el jugador acaparaba reconocimientos individuales. Ya en 2009 la revista France Football le concedió el Balón de Oro y la FIFA lo designó Mejor Jugador del Mundo. Ambos premios se unificaron un año después en el FIFA Balón de Oro, que recayó sobre el argentino en sus tres primeras ediciones (2010, 2011 y 2012) y de nuevo en 2015.

El sueño del Mundial

Con la victoria de España en el Mundial de 2010, algunos de los compañeros de Messi en el F.C. Barcelona habían logrado incluir en sus vitrinas todos los trofeos posibles; para el argentino, ésta seguía siendo una asignatura pendiente. A pesar de su contribución, y excluyendo la medalla de oro en los Juegos Olímpicos de Pekín de 2008, los resultados con la selección argentina fueron mediocres. En el Mundial de Alemania (2006) no pasó de los cuartos del final.

Mayores expectativas despertó la participación en el Mundial de Sudáfrica (2010), con el astro argentino en un momento pletórico de forma; pero el combinado albiceleste, bajo la controvertida dirección del legendario Maradona como técnico, cayó estrepitosamente frente a Alemania, de nuevo en los cuartos de final. El distinto rendimiento de Leo Messi con la selección y con el F. C. Barcelona hizo correr ríos de tinta; al final, el fútbol es un juego de equipo en el que cualquier análisis debe tomar en consideración muchos factores.

Los argentinos depositaron sus esperanzas en el Mundial de Brasil de 2014, pero hay que decir que Messi no llegaba a la cita mundialista en su mejor versión. Finalizada la era Guardiola, demostró seguir siendo el de siempre en la temporada 2012-2013 con Tito Vilanova (el segundo de Guardiola) en el banquillo, y el club se llevó la liga con récord de puntos; una lesión del crack argentino en el tramo decisivo de la temporada impidió triunfos mayores. Pero a principios de la temporada siguiente, con su compatriota Tata Martino como entrenador, una recaída en la lesión lo apartó dos meses de los terrenos de juego, y aunque el Barça tuvo opciones hasta el final, la temporada 2013-2014 se cerró sin ningún título y con un Messi menos inspirado que en las campañas precedentes.

Ciertamente, ni la selección argentina ni Leo Messi brillaron especialmente en el Mundial de Brasil de 2014. Si bien los albicelestes empezaron ganando todos los partidos, lo hicieron siempre por la mínima, y fue necesario acudir a las tandas de penaltis para superar las semifinales. En la final contra Alemania, que venía de humillar a los anfitriones por un inaudito 7 a 1, los argentinos supieron frenar el embate germánico y dispusieron de oportunidades, pero acabaron perdiendo en la prórroga. Considerando el juego exhibido, el subcampeonato fue un buen resultado; los argentinos no lo habían logrado desde los tiempos de Maradona. Messi fue además distinguido con el Balón de Oro del Mundial, pero el sueño de conquistar el preciado título quedó otra vez pospuesto.

La era Luis Enrique

A estos relativos fracasos con la selección argentina debe contraponerse, después de dos temporadas difíciles, un nuevo resurgimiento del esplendor del Barça con el desembarco como técnico de Luis Enrique, antiguo jugador azulgrana que, tras su incorporación a principios de la temporada 2014-2015, justo a la finalización del Mundial, ha sabido dotar al equipo de nuevos registros más allá del fútbol «al primer toque» de Guardiola, reforzando su verticalidad (con precisos pases largos que sorprenden y superan las líneas rivales) y la potencia del contraataque.

Sumando a ello la plena recuperación de Leo Messi y su perfecto entendimiento con las nuevas incorporaciones en la delantera (el extremo brasileño Neymar, joven promesa y probable sucesor de Messi, y el uruguayo Luis Suárez como killer o rematador), el Barcelona reeditó en la temporada 2014-2015 los éxitos de 2009 adjudicándose por segunda el vez el triplete (la Liga española, la Copa del Rey y la Liga de Campeones), y a punto estuvo de igualar los seis títulos en año natural al proclamarse campeón de la Supercopa de Europa y del Mundial de Clubes al inicio de la temporada 2015-2016. El comienzo de esta nueva etapa no augura sino nuevos y arrolladores triunfos a la maquinaria azulgrana y a su principal estrella, convertido ya a sus 28 años en «leyenda en activo» del deporte más popular del planeta.

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Web oficial Leo Messi jugador del Inter de Miami - messi.com

Web oficial de Lionel Messi, jugador del Futbol Profesional y campeón mundial con la selección Argentina

As a child, I always had a ball nearby. I liked every sport, but football was the one I liked the most. At home, everybody was crazy about football: my brothers, my cousins... everyone. We all played football — it was the most important thing in our lives. At the age of four, after playing for my neighborhood’s team, I decided to go to Grandoli Club which was nearby. At the age of eight, I got the opportunity to join Newell’s Old Boys as my brother, Rodrigo, was already playing for them and invited me to play at their lower youth division.

We did not live in Argentina for very long. I left when I was 13, way before I started playing for Barcelona, a team which I had been following for a long time. I had huge expectations and was very excited to play for them since it seemed impossible.

I had a growth problem and was used to being the shortest player on the field, but I knew that I would eventually grow — albeit, it would be a slow process. Consequently, I had to administer a daily injection on my legs as part of the treatment process. At the beginning it was painful, but sometimes certain things must be endured in order to achieve your dreams.

EVERYTHING I’VE EVER ACHIEVED IN MY CAREER

I OWE TO SACRIFICE, GIVING MY ALL, AND ALWAYS BEING GRATEFUL FOR HAVING THE SUPPORT OF MY FAMILY

When I arrived in Barcelona, my dream was to play in the first team, but I never could’ve imagined what would happen next! We visited the city like tourists — Barça’s stadium is beautiful, and I still remember the emotion I felt the first time I stepped foot onto the Camp Nou.

As soon as I arrived in Barcelona, I started training. I didn’t sleep at La Masía , but I went to León XIII (an elementary school), where all the kids from other cities where studying at. I spent every afternoon with those kids, many of them from Barcelona and the rest from other Spanish provinces, like Iniesta. They also knew what it was like to be far away from their families and friends, so we had a lot of things in common. I had a hard time during the first two seasons. I couldn’t play for months because my immigration paperwork had not cleared and I got injured in my very first match.

The real change occurred at the cadet category , as we had a great team and the good fortune of winning everything. We had Gerard Piqué, Cesc Fábregas, Víctor Vázquez and didn’t concede a single match. Today, after so many years, I understand the Barcelona philosophy which made me stronger as a football player and as a person.

When I was sixteen, I got called up and was informed that I would become a professional player — I was so excited! I was going to be part of the first team! My first minutes at Barcelona transpired in a match against Porto and my father was told that I might travel with the team; I didn’t tell anyone and my family found out while watching the news. That day, my dream had come true.

My official debut was for La Liga , in a derby against Espanyol . I was playing for Barça B, but also alternated between Barça C and, at times, with Juvenile B — my corresponding age category. From one day to the next, I was told to report to the first team’s locker room and start training with them. The first day, I walked in shyly, and it felt like my first days at the club, just being there and seeing all those legends — so many great players and wonderful people as well! They treated me very well and I adapted to the team very quickly.

We were a young group with a strong appetite for victory, and it was easy to be a part of the team because Ronaldinho, Deco, Silvynho and Motta made me feel like one of them. As did Xavi, Iniesta and Puyol — all of them showed to be truly exceptional human beings. Dinho was our leader, the best player in the squad, and I learned a lot of things from him. I feel grateful of how he treated me since the first day I arrived and all the assistance he gave me. I feel very lucky to have lived so many great moments with him and to have conquered so many things together.

My first goal was an indescribable feeling. I went to dispute the ball against a defender, won it, passed it back to Ronaldinho and remained in my position waiting for his magic. Ronaldinho chipped it over to me and the ball landed just in front of me — I faked a power shot and lobbed it over the goalkeeper. I ran to the crowd, and when I turned back, there came Dinho, running to hug me. He lifted me up and all my teammates joined in the celebration.

Coming to Barcelona was a big step for me and the most important decision of my life — not only career-wise, but personally as well. I grew up in this club and lived so many happy moments with my family.

I’ve always wanted to play for the national team and living far away made that dream even stronger. I thought that it was going to be very hard, that people in Argentina wouldn’t know or recognize me. But one day, when I was sixteen, I was called up to play in two friendlies with the U- 20 team against Paraguay and Uruguay — the beginning of my journey. We won the U-20 World Cup in Netherlands, one of the biggest achievements of my career.

I would trade all my personal achievements just to win the World Cup with the national team. I’ve always said it: it can’t be compared to anything else. We all want to win, and I want to win more than anyone, because I’ve been struggling with this common dream — to win a championship with Argentina.

How is it like to be Leo Messi? Most of the time it’s nice, but there are moments when I would like to be anonymous and be able to roam the streets unnoticed. Football is always going to be very special for me, but I understand that life is not just about football.

The birth of my first son changed my life and altered my perspective altogether — providing me a greater sense of tranquility. I still love playing football, but when the match is over I dedicate that time to my family.

I lead a peaceful and normal life. My day starts early: we take Thiago to kindergarten, I train at the club, come back home, have lunch and take a short nap before picking him up from school. He doesn’t care a lot about football, and I don’t buy balls or force him to play. Mateo is still very little…but when they grow up, they’ll probably see and hear about what I’ve done.

I appreciate that some may consider me as one of the best footballers in the world, but I try not to think about that. My old man would always give me a critique or two after every game. Even if I scored four goals, he’d always have some advice, and we always ended up laughing because I knew there were no reproaches, just things he considered I needed to improve...you know, dad stuff. I’ve always wanted to improve, it’s still one of my greatest motivations.

I try to focus on maintaining my level of play and I am lucky to be part of a spectacular team — a team that always fights hard and I’ll try to continue enjoying all of this. Having Ballon D’Or nominees in the locker room is truly a privilege, a clear testament to the caliber of players that we have at Barcelona.

I don’t care about personal awards, I am lucky to have won almost everything. What I care about is to keep winning with my club and Argentina. Everyday I give my best in order to obtain more titles with Barcelona and win important things with Argentina. I hope this lasts for many more years to come.

I want to thank everyone who has supported me all this time: Those who believe, like me, that great things are yet to be achieved. Those who encourage me to keep playing football no matter what. None of this would have been possible without their support.

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Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi, a forward for Inter Miami CF, is one of the world’s greatest soccer players and helped the Argentina national team win its third FIFA World Cup in 2022.

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1987-present

Lionel Messi News: Soccer Star Is the Subject of a New Apple TV+ Docuseries

Messi, now playing for Inter Miami CF of the MLS, helped his home country win soccer’s biggest event for the first time since 1986, scoring two goals in the final and leading Argentina to a 4-2 win over Kylian Mbappé and France on penalties. Argentina’s captain was also named the tournament MVP.

The new series follows up Messi Meets America , Apple’s 2023 look at the star striker’s arrival and first season in the MLS. Inter Miami begins the 2024 regular season also on February 21 with a match against Real Salt Lake.

Quick Facts

Early life of a soccer prodigy, club teams: barcelona, psg, and inter miami, argentina national team, tax fraud scandal, wife and children, charity and unicef, who is lionel messi.

Lionel Messi is an Argentinian soccer player who has played for FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and currently, the MLS club Inter Miami CF as well as the Argentina national team. As a teenager, Messi moved from Argentina to Spain after FC Barcelona agreed to pay for medical treatments related to his growth hormone disorder. At the club, he earned renown as one of the greatest players in history, helping FC Barcelona win more than two dozen league titles and tournaments. In 2012, he set a record for most goals in a calendar year and, a decade later, helped the Argentina national team win its third FIFA World Cup. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, and in July 2023, he joined Inter Miami.

FULL NAME: Luis Lionel Andres Messi BORN: June 24, 1987 BIRTHPLACE: Rosario, Argentina SPOUSE: Antonella Roccuzzo (2017-present) CHILDREN: Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Cancer

Luis Lionel Andres “Leo” Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. As a young boy, Messi tagged along when his two older brothers played soccer with their friends, unintimidated by the bigger boys. At the age of 8, he was recruited to join the youth system of Newell’s Old Boys, a Rosario-based club.

Recognizably smaller than most of the kids in his age group, Messi was eventually diagnosed by doctors as suffering from a hormone deficiency that restricted his growth. Messi’s parents, Jorge and Ceclia, decided on a regimen of nightly growth-hormone injections for their son, though it soon proved impossible to pay several hundred dollars per month for the medication.

So, at the age of 13, when Messi was offered the chance to train at soccer powerhouse FC Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia, and have his medical bills covered by the team, Messi’s family picked up and moved across the Atlantic to make a new home in Spain. Although he was often homesick in his new country, Messi moved quickly through the junior system ranks.

Ultimately, Messi’s short stature—5 feet, 7 inches—combined with his speed and relentless attacking style, has drawn comparisons to another famous Argentinian footballer, Diego Maradona .

Messi played for FC Barcelona for 17 seasons before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 for two seasons. In July 2023, he joined the MLS club Inter Miami.

FC Barcelona

At age 13, Messi signed with FC Barcelona. His first appearance for the team was when he was 16. On May 1, 2005, Messi put himself in the record books as the youngest player to ever score a goal for the franchise.

Messi steered Barcelona to a wealth of success, most notably in 2009, when the left-footer’s team captured the Champions League, La Liga, and Spanish Super Cup titles. That same year, after two consecutive runner-up finishes, he took home his first FIFA World Player of the Year honor, as well as his first Ballon d’Or award, the top European individual honor in football.

Messi became the first Argentinian player to win the Ballon d’Or. Even the great Maradona gushed about his fellow countryman. “I see him as very similar to me,” the retired player told the BBC. “He’s a leader and is offering lessons in beautiful football. He has something different than any other player in the world.”

Amazingly, the soccer wizard continued to improve, discovering new ways to elude defenders while leading Barcelona to La Liga and Spanish Super Cup championships in 2010 and 2011, as well as the ’11 Champions League title.

Messi embarked on an all-out assault on the record books in 2012. He became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match in early March, and a few weeks later, he surpassed Cesar Rodriguez’s club-record 232 goals to become Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer. By the end of the year, Messi had accumulated an astounding 91 goals in club and international play, eclipsing the 85 netted in a single calendar year by Gerd Muller in 1972. Fittingly, he broke another record when he was named the Ballon d’Or winner for the fourth consecutive time.

In 2013, the soccer great came back to earth somewhat due to the persistence of hamstring injuries, but he regained his record-breaking form by becoming the all-time leading scorer in La Liga and Champions League play in late 2014.

After helping Barcelona achieve a historic second treble in 2015, he was honored with his fifth Ballon d’Or trophy. Four years later, following another La Liga title, Messi again established a new standard for excellence by claiming his sixth Ballon d’Or.

On August 5, 2021, FC Barcelona announced it couldn’t resign Messi due to the team’s budget constraints and La Liga restrictions. Despite having voiced his desire to leave the club the prior season, Messi bid a teary farewell after 17 seasons: “This is really difficult for me after so many years spent here, being here my entire life. I’m not ready for this.”

Paris Saint-Germain

Four days after the shocking news from FC Barcelona, Messi signed with Paris Saint-Germain. The 34-year-old inked a two-year contract with the French club. The move saw him reunite with former teammate Neymar as well as the talented Kylian Mbappé.

Messi made his debut for the club on August 29, 2021, and scored his first goal that September. PSG won two Ligue 1 titles with Messi but twice failed to advance beyond the round of 16 in the Champions League finals.

Although his contract allowed for an optional third year at PSG, the team announced it would release Messi as a free agent when the deal expired on June 30, 2023. Earlier in the year, the club suspended and fined Messi after he visited Saudi Arabia on an unauthorized trip. This all but sealed fate on the soccer legend’s widely expected move.

Messi’s last game for PSG was June 3, 2023. In total, he started in 72 games, notching 32 goals and 34 assists.

Inter Miami CF

On June 7, 2023, Messi told two Spanish media outlets he planned to play for the MLS club Inter Miami CF, which is partially owned by former soccer player David Beckham . “I have made the decision that I am going to Miami,” Messi said at the time, per ESPN . Messi later told Time he strongly considered joining a Saudi Arabian team before deciding on Inter Miami.

A little over a month later, on July 16, the team officially welcomed him on a 2.5-year contract that runs through the 2025 season. The deal was reportedly worth around $150 million , including an annual salary between $50 million and $60 million , a signing bonus, revenue sharing with the league’s media partner, and team equity upon retirement.

Inter Miami immediately benefitted on and off the field from their new team captain’s presence. The club went on a 12-match winning streak and captured the Leagues Cup, an annual tournament between teams from the MLS and Liga MX. Messi wound up scoring 11 goals in 14 games overall. However, with Messi injured late in the season, Inter Miami went winless in seven straight and failed to qualify for the playoffs. He was named the club’s 2023 MVP in November.

Messi has directly boosted revenue for the team, as well. Attendance at home games spiked 40 percent , the most in the MLS. According to The Athletic , the least expensive Inter Miami season ticket prices rose from $485 to $884 per seat from 2023 to 2024. Even with the price jump, Inter Miami announced 2024 season tickets sold out at the end of November, two months out of the start of the preseason. Not surprisingly, his jersey became the top seller in the MLS .

Messi and Inter Miami open the 2024 MLS regular season on February 21.

In summer 2005, Messi quickly made a name for himself on his native country’s under-20 squad. He led Argentina to the title in the FIFA U-20 World Cup, scoring on a pair of penalty kicks to propel the team over Nigeria. Less than two months later, he made his pro debut with Argentina in an August friendly match against Hungary but played less than two minutes before receiving a red card and being ejected from the game.

For all his success with Barcelona, Messi repeatedly came under fire for his inability to help Argentina’s national team win a major title. In the 2014 World Cup, Argentina lost to Germany in the final, though Messi was named player of the tournament that year. In 2016, following Argentina’s second consecutive loss to Chile in the final of the Copa America tournament, Messi announced he was ending his run with the national team.

The soccer great eventually reversed his decision, but his participation in the 2018 World Cup did not bring that elusive title, as hoped. After Messi scored an early goal in a 2-1 win over Nigeria that helped his team advance from the group stage, he was largely kept in check by France, his two assists not enough to stave off a 4-3 defeat that sent Argentina packing.

The following year, after Messi heavily criticized the referees in the wake of a 2-0 loss to Brazil in the Copa America semifinals, the Argentine captain was slapped with a three-game ban by the South American Football Confederation.

At last, in 2021 and 2022, Argentina and Messi found enough traction to bring home trophies that had long evaded them. First, the team won the Copa America—Argentina’s first major title in 28 years—in August 2021, besting Brazil in the final. Captain Messi tied for top goal scorer, alongside Colombia’s Luis Diaz, and was named player of the tournament. The next year, greater glory awaited at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Argentina captured the World Cup trophy on December 18, 2022, after a thrilling game against France that ended in a penalty shootout. Messi was named the Best FIFA Men’s Player for a second time and broke the record for most World Cup appearances with 26 games. Six jerseys that Messi had worn during the victorious championship run later sold for more than $7.8 million at auction.

In fall 2023, Messi scored three goals in qualifying games for the 2026 World Cup. However, as he nears the twilight of the his career, the soccer legend has adopted a realistic attitude about his future. “As long as I feel that I am fine and I can continue contributing, I am going to do it. Today, the only thing I think about is getting to the Copa America well and being able to compete in it,” Messi said of the 2024 tournament. “Then time will tell if I am [at the World Cup] or not. I’m going to be at an age (39) that normally doesn’t allow me to play in the World Cup.”

Messi won FIFA’s World Player Trophy five times, including four consecutive wins between 2009 and 2012, and has collected its contemporary the Best FIFA Men’s Player three times, in 2019, 2022, and 2023.

The soccer legend has won Europe’s Ballon d’Or a record eight times. When he won the Ballon d’Or in October 2023, Messi became the first active MLS player to do so. He’s also won the European Golden Shoe for top scorer six times, two more than his nearest rival, Cristiano Ronaldo .

In 2023, Time magazine named Messi its Athlete of the Year, pointing to his remarkable impact on soccer’s growing popularity in the United States.

In July 2016, Messi suffered a blow off the soccer field when a Barcelona court found him and his father guilty of three counts of tax fraud. During a four-day trial, Messi and his father denied breaking the law and claimed they were unaware of any tax illegalities they had committed.

However, they were both sentenced to 21 months in prison. Under Spanish law, first offenses under two years are suspended so they did not go to jail, but Messi was ordered to pay a fine of 2 million euros. His father was required to pay 1.5 million euros.

On June 30, 2017, Messi married Antonella Roccuzzo, his longtime girlfriend and the cousin of his best friend and fellow soccer player Lucas Scaglia. Messi met Roccuzzo in their hometown of Rosario when he was 5 years old. Their marriage, a civil ceremony dubbed by Argentina’s Clarín newspaper as the “wedding of the century,” was held at a luxury hotel in Rosario, with a number of fellow star soccer players and Colombian pop star Shakira on the 260-person guest list.

Messi and Roccuzzo have three children together: Thiago, born in November 2012; Mateo, born in September 2015; and Ciro, born in March 2018.

Although famously private off the field, Messi has quietly helped others in need. In 2007, he formed the Leo Messi Foundation to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youths. In early 2010, UNICEF named him a goodwill ambassador, with a focus on fighting for children’s rights across the globe.

• Every time I start a year, I start with the objective of trying to achieve everything, without comparing it to how I’ve done in other seasons.
• Whether it’s a friendly match, or for points, or a final, or any game—I play the same. I’m always trying to be my best, first for my team, for myself, for the fans and to try and win.
• I am competitive, and I feel bad when we lose. You can see it in me when we’ve lost. I’m in a bad way. I don’t like to talk to anyone.
• I made sacrifices by leaving Argentina, leaving my family to start a new life. I changed my friends, my people. Everything. But everything I did, I did for football, to achieve my dream.
• I have fun like a child in the street. When the day comes when I’m not enjoying it, I will leave football.
• I’ve never stopped being Argentine, and I’ve never wanted to. I feel very proud of being Argentine, even though I left there. I’ve been clear about this since I was very young, and I never wanted to change.
• Something deep in my character allows me to take the hits and get on with trying to win. I’ve always had this ability to get up and get on with it.
• I wasn’t teased as a child for my size. In fact, I think I had more affection because I was small.
• I am lucky, I live by my passion, and there are a lot of people who work, doing what they don't like and are badly paid for that.

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Lionel Messi is an Argentine-born  football  (soccer) player who has been named the world’s best men’s player of the year seven times (2009–12, 2015, 2019, and 2021). In 2022 he helped Argentina win the  World Cup . Naturally left-footed, quick, and precise in control of the ball, Messi is known as a keen pass distributor and can readily thread his way through packed defenses.

Lionel Messi started playing football as a boy and was noticed by clubs on both sides of the Atlantic. When he was 13, his family relocated to Barcelona . He played for  FC Barcelona ’s under-14 team, quickly graduating through the higher-level teams until his informal debut at age 16 with FC Barcelona in a friendly match.

Lionel Messi scored 73 goals during the 2011–12 season while playing for FC Barcelona , breaking a 39-year-old record for single-season goals in a major European football league. In 2014 Messi led Argentina to the World Cup final, which Argentina lost, but Messi won the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player. During the 2016 Copa América Centenario tournament, he netted his 55th international goal to break Gabriel Batistuta ’s Argentine scoring record. He led Argentina’s national team to win the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 World Cup, when he again won the Golden Ball award.

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Lionel Messi (born June 24, 1987, Rosario , Argentina) is an Argentine-born football (soccer) player who received a record-setting eight Ballon d’Or awards as the world’s top male player (2009–12, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023). In 2022 he helped Argentina win the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)’s World Cup .

Messi started playing football as a boy and in 1995 joined the youth team of Newell’s Old Boys (a Rosario-based top-division football club). Messi’s phenomenal skills garnered the attention of prestigious clubs on both sides of the Atlantic. At age 13 Messi and his family relocated to Barcelona, and he began playing for FC Barcelona ’s under-14 team. He scored 21 goals in 14 games for the junior team, and he quickly graduated through the higher-level teams until at age 16 he was given his informal debut with FC Barcelona in a friendly match.

In the 2004–05 season Messi, then 17, became the youngest official player and goal scorer in the Spanish La Liga (the country’s highest division of football). Though only 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 metres) tall and weighing 148 pounds (67 kg), he was strong, well-balanced, and versatile on the field. Naturally left-footed, quick, and precise in control of the ball, Messi was a keen pass distributor and could readily thread his way through packed defenses. In 2005 he was granted Spanish citizenship, an honour greeted with mixed feelings by the fiercely Catalan supporters of Barcelona. The next year Messi and Barcelona won the Champions League (the European club championship) title.

Messi’s play continued to rapidly improve over the years, and by 2008 he was one of the most dominant players in the world, finishing second to Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo in the voting for the 2008 Ballon d’Or. In early 2009 Messi capped off a spectacular 2008–09 season by helping FC Barcelona capture the club’s first “treble” (winning three major European club titles in one season): the team won the La Liga championship, the Copa del Rey (Spain’s major domestic cup), and the Champions League title. He scored 38 goals in 51 matches during that season, and he bested Ronaldo in the balloting for both the Ballon d’Or and FIFA’s world player of the year by a record margin. During the 2009–10 season Messi scored 34 goals in domestic games as Barcelona repeated as La Liga champions. He earned the Golden Shoe award as Europe’s leading scorer, and he received another Ballon d’Or (the award was known as the FIFA Ballon d’Or in 2010–15).

Messi led Barcelona to La Liga and Champions League titles the following season, which helped him capture an unprecedented third consecutive world player of the year award. In March 2012 he netted his 233rd goal for Barcelona, becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer in La Liga play when only 24 years old. He finished Barcelona’s 2011–12 season (which included another Copa del Rey win) with 73 goals in all competitions, breaking Gerd Müller ’s 39-year-old record for single-season goals in a major European football league. His landmark season led to his being named the 2012 world player of the year, which made Messi the first player to win the honour four times. His 46 La Liga goals in 2012–13 led the league, and Barcelona captured another domestic top-division championship that season. In 2014 he set the overall Barcelona goal record when he scored his 370th goal as a member of the team. That same year he also broke the career scoring records for play in both the Champions League (with 72 goals) and La Liga (with 253 goals).

Messi helped Barcelona capture another treble during the 2014–15 season, leading the team with 43 goals scored over the course of the campaign, which resulted in his fifth world player of the year honour. He scored 41 goals across all competitions for Barcelona in 2015–16, and the club won the La Liga title and the Copa del Rey during that season. Messi topped that with 53 goals for Barcelona in 2016–17, leading the team to another Copa del Rey title. In 2017–18 he scored 45 goals, and Barcelona won the La Liga–Copa del Rey double once again. Messi scored 51 goals across all domestic competitions in 2018–19 as Barcelona won another La Liga championship. In late 2019 he won his sixth career Ballon d’Or and was named FIFA’s best male player of the year. In the 2020–21 season, Barcelona claimed the Copa del Rey title, the seventh of Messi’s career. He became a free agent in 2021, and financial issues—some of which were the result of La Liga rules—largely prevented him from re-signing with Barcelona. He left the club after setting a number of records; notably, he was the leading goal scorer in the league’s history (474).

Later in 2021 Messi signed with Paris St.-Germain (PSG), where he joined superstars Kylian Mbappé and Neymar , and that year he received yet another Ballon d’Or. He helped PSG win the Ligue 1 title in each of his two seasons with the team. In 2023 Messi joined Inter Miami of Major League Soccer .

Despite his dual citizenship and professional success in Spain, Messi’s ties with his homeland remained strong, and he was a key member of various Argentine national teams from 2005. He played on Argentina’s victorious 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship squad, represented the country in the 2006 World Cup, and scored two goals in five matches as Argentina swept to the gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games . Messi helped Argentina reach the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals, where the team was eliminated by Germany for the second consecutive time in World Cup play. At the 2014 World Cup, Messi put on a dazzling display, scoring four goals and almost single-handedly propelling an offense-deficient Argentina team through the group stage and into the knockout rounds, where Argentina then advanced to the World Cup final for the first time in 24 years. Argentina lost that contest 1–0 to Germany, but Messi nevertheless won the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player. During the 2016 Copa América Centenario tournament, he netted his 55th international goal to break Gabriel Batistuta ’s Argentine scoring record.

After Argentina was defeated in the Copa final—the team’s third consecutive finals loss in a major tournament—Messi said that he was quitting the national team, but his short-lived “retirement” lasted less than two months before he announced his return to the Argentine team. At the 2018 World Cup, he helped an overmatched Argentine side reach the knockout stage, where they were eliminated by eventual champion France in their first match. After a third-place finish at the 2019 Copa América, Messi led Argentina to victory in the tournament two years later, and he received the Golden Ball award. His success continued at the 2022 World Cup . There he guided Argentina to the finals, where he scored two goals—and made a penalty kick during the shootout—to help defeat France. Messi won the World Cup’s Golden Ball, becoming the first male player to receive that award twice. In addition, his outstanding play in the tournament was instrumental in Messi winning his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023.

Off the field, Messi was one of the biggest athletic stars in the world. In addition to earning a football salary that was frequently, with Ronaldo’s, one of the two largest athletes’ salaries in all professional sports , he was an extremely successful product pitchman, notably for the sportswear company Adidas . In 2013 Messi and his father (who handled his son’s finances) were charged with tax fraud and accused of using overseas shell companies to avoid paying €4.2 million in Spanish taxes on endorsement earnings. Despite subsequently paying €5 million to the Spanish state, the pair were nevertheless ordered to stand trial on the charges in 2016. In July of that year, Messi and his father were each given suspended 21-month prison sentences (first-time offenders in Spain are given suspended sentences if the duration is under two years) and were fined €2 million and €1.5 million, respectively.

Biography Online

Lionel Messi Biography

Lionel Messi is an Argentinian footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of the modern generation. He plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He has won FIFA world player of the year five times (2009–12 and 2015) . He has often been described as Diego Maradona’s successor because of his prolific goal scoring record and ability to dribble past opponents.

“I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Messi. Messi is a genius, and he can become an even better player.”

His potential is limitless, and I think he’s got everything it takes to become Argentina’s greatest player.”

– Diego Maradona

Short Biography Lionel Messi

He began playing from an early age, and his talent was soon apparent. However, at the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). This was a condition that stunted growth and required expensive medical treatment, including the use of the drug Human growth hormone.

His local club, River Plate were interested in signing Messi but didn’t want to pay for his medical treatment. However, Messi was given a trial with Barcelona, and coach Carles Rexach was impressed – offering Messi a contract (written on a paper napkin!) which included paying for Messi’s treatment in Spain. Messi moved to Barcelona with his father and became part of the prestigious FC Barcelona youth academy.

“I made a lot of sacrifices by leaving Argentina, leaving my family to start a new life. But everything I did, I did for football, to achieve my dream. That’s why I didn’t go out partying, or do a lot of other things.”

– Lionel Messi

In the 2009-10 season, Messi scored 47 goals in all competitions, equalling Ronaldo’s record total for Barcelona. As the seasons have progressed, Messi kept improving and breaking his own records. In the calendar year of 2012, he broke the all-time world record for most goals scored in a calendar year. His final total of goals in 2012 was 91 – beating the previous record of 85 by German Gerd Muller, and Pele’s milestone of 75 in 1958.

“My record stood for 40 years – 85 goals in a year – and now the best player in the world has broken it, and I’m delighted for him. He is an incredible player, gigantic.”

– Gerd Muller

At the start of 2013, in club football, Messi has scored 292 goals from a total of 359 appearances, and in international football, 31 goals from 76 appearances.

At the end of 2012, Messi turned down a very lucrative offer to play for an unnamed Russian side. It would have given Messi a salary of €20 million a year and made Messi the most expensive player in the world (Barcelona would have been paid €250 million). He turned down the offer because he was unsure if he would be playing in major European championships and the difficulties in moving to Russia. Instead, he signed a contract with Barcelona until the end of 2018. When asked about moving to the English Premier League, Messi revealed his sense of commitment to Barcelona.

“ Barcelona is my life. They have brought me to where I am today. I could not leave, I don’t want to leave. I know the Premier League is very good. But I cannot see myself playing in England because my heart is with Barcelona, always.”

International Career

Because Messi was brought up in Spain, since he was 11 years old, he has Spanish nationality. In 2004, he was offered the chance to play for Spain’s Under 20 side, but Messi decided to play for Argentina, the country of his birth. He led Argentina to victory in the 2005 FIFA Youth Championship. Messi made his full international debut in August 2005, during a friendly against Hungary. In his first game, Messi was sent off for allegedly elbowing a player. The decision was contentious and not in keeping with Messi’s style of play which is generally clean and in the spirit of fair play; he has very rarely been accused of diving.

In 2006, he participated in the World Cup, becoming Argentina’s youngest player to play in the world cup. Argentina were eliminated in the quarter-finals. In 2008, he won an Olympic gold medal for Argentina in football at the Beijing Olympics. Initially, Barcelona had not allowed him permission to play, but new coach Pep Guardiola allowed him time off.

In the 2010 World Cup, Messi wore the number 10 shirt and played well to help Argentina reach the quarter-finals, but Messi struggled to score, and Argentina disappointingly lost 4-0 to Germany in the quarter-final. Messi has admitted he is desperate to play in a world cup final. Success for Messi in the World Cup would be the last test of greatness. Pele , by contrast, was part of Brazil’s three times winning World Cup side ’58, ’62 and ’70.

Messi is widely regarded as one of the most exciting players of the modern age – in fact, any age. He has a peerless ability to dribble and take on opponents. Maradona has described his ball control as supremely good. “ The ball stays glued to his foot; I’ve seen great players in my career, but I’ve never seen anyone with Messi’s ball control.” Messi has said he wishes to retain the joy of how a child plays football

“I have changed nothing, my style of play is still that of a child. I know that above all it is my job and that I should approach it in another way, but one must not lose sight of the fact that football is a game. It is imperative one plays to amuse oneself, to be happy. That is what children do and I do the same thing.” (total Barca)

After winning the Ballon d’Or for the fourth time in January 2013, Messi said:

“To tell you the truth this is really quite unbelievable. The fourth award that I have had is just too great for words. ” ( BBC )

Messi and Ronaldo

Messi has often been compared to prolific Real Madrid goalscorer Christiano Ronaldo, but both have been keen to downplay the rivalry.

“Messi has his personality and I have mine. He has his game and I have mine. I also play in a big club like him. We are different in every aspect. But right now, he is the best.”

— Christiano Ronaldo , in September 2011

Messi’s goalscoring record

Source: Christopher Johnson, Barcelona FC. CC-SA-2.5

By any standards, Messi’s goal scoring record is exceptional. By June 2019, he has scored 419 goals in 445 official matches for Barcelona FC.

• In 2012/13, Messi set an all-time world record of scoring in 21 consecutive games (33 goals from 21 games)
• He holds the Guinness World Record for most goals in a calendar year – 91 goals during 2012.
• He is the only player to score in four consecutive Champions League campaigns.
• His international record for Argentina is 68 goals from 133 appearances.

Messi major honours

• Spanish La Liga title (*10) : 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16
• Spanish Cup (*6) – Copa del Rey
• Supercopa de España (*6)
• UEFA Champions League ( *4 ) : 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014-15
• UEFA Super Cup ( *3 )
• FIFA Club World Cup ( 3 )
• Olympic Gold Medal: 2008
• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005
• 2006 World Cup – QF
• 2010 World Cup – QF
• 2014 World Cup – Runners-up.
• 2018 World Cup

Wealth and income

Messi has frequently been the target of other football clubs with big transfer budgets, but he has remained loyal to Barcelona FC. He is one of the highest paid footballers in the world. His base salary is estimated at €40 million per year. His combined income 2018 from all sources was €126m. This made him the highest paid sports star – according to Forbes. From 2018, his weekly salary from Barcelona is $667,000 per week.

Private life

By the standards of modern football, Messi has a relatively private and modest lifestyle. He makes efforts to keep links to his hometown of Rosario. He has an Argentinian girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo, and they have two children. His first child Thiago was born in November 2012.

Lionel Messi – Real Bios at Amazon by Marie Morreale.

Messi acts as an ambassador for Unicef, and also runs his own charitable foundation – supporting access to education and sport for children. Because of his own expensive medical treatment, he has also helped Argentinian hospitals with paying for similar treatment to his own.

World Cup 2014

Many commentators have stated that Lionel Messi has performed at his best in all competitions, except the World Cup. In both the 2006 and 2010 World Cup, Argentina were knocked out in the quarter-finals, with Messi not at his best.

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is an opportunity for Messi to make an impact on the highest stage of them all. In the opening game against, Bosnia – Herzegovina, Messi scored a great goal to give Argentina a winning start. He scored four goals to help Argentina reach the World Cup Final. In the final, Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany. Messi was awarded ‘Golden Ball’ player of the tournament, though the decision was not universally supported. After the tournament, Messi replied:

“I do not care about the Golden Ball. I am just upset by the wasted chances. We had the best chances. We knew we could not dominate the game but we knew what we wanted to do. Right now I do not care about my prize. I just wanted to lift the cup and bring it to Argentina. The pain is very great.”

In June 2016, a very disappointed Messi announced his retirement from international football, after missing a penalty as Argentina got knocked out of the Copa America final. However, Messi later reversed his decision, saying he loved playing for Argentina too much, and “I see there are many problems in Argentinian football and I don’t intend to create another one.”

However, Messi returned to international football and led Argentina in the 2018 World Cup. Despite carrying the weight of expectation of a nation, the World Cup was considered a great disappointment. However, in the 2018/19 season, Messi returned to his usual scintillating performance with Barcelona.

World Cup 2022

After a disappointing first game, when Argentina unexpectedly lost to Saudi Arabia, Lionel Messi was key to firing Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Mexico, with Messi scoring an excellent goal. If Messi has lost something of his speed and top level fitness, he remains just as potent in front of the goal, with the capacity to make match winning contributions. The goal took him to 8 world cup goals, 2nd overall and level with Diego Maradona.

Published 10 January 2018. Last updated 30 November 2022

• Full name Lionel Andrés Messi
• Date of birth 24 June 1987 (1987-06-24)
• Place of birth Rosario, Argentina
• Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
• Playing Position: Forward
• Total club appearances 684. Total Goals 578 (Dec. 2018)
• Total international appearances 151. Total Goals 81 (Dec. 2018)
• La Liga titles with Barcelona (9)
• UEFA Champions League (4) 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15
• FIFA Ballon d’Or/Ballon d’Or (5)
• Guinness World Record as top goalscorer for club and country in a calendar year: 91 goals in 2012

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of Lionel Messi”, Oxford, UK.  www.biographyonline.net . First published 26 June 2012. Last updated 26 June 2019.

The Amazing Story of Leo Messi

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Super biography

• February 03, 2019 2:09 PM
• By V.sukumar

Lionel Messi

Football Player (1987-)

Lionel Messi is often considered not only the best active football player in the world but also one of the greatest of all time, alongside legends such as Maradona and Pelé. In addition to being awarded the prestigious Ballon d’Or prize a record five times, Leo has become the all-time top goalscorer for both Argentina’s national team and FC Barcelona, the mega club he has helped to win more than 30 championships. While Messi is a household name across most of the globe, the superstar forward also surprises with his relatively low profile off the field.

Lionel Messi Biography

«I prefer to win titles with the team ahead of individual awards or scoring more goals than anyone else. I’m more concerned about being a good person than being the best footballer in the world. Besides, in the end, when all this is over, what can you take with you? My hope is that, when I retire, I’m remembered for being a good guy.»  (Extract from interview with Spanish newspaper “El País” in 2012)

Lionel Andrés Messi (aka Leo, Lio, La Pulga [The Flea], La Pulga Atómica [The Atomic Flea], El Messías ) was born on June 24, 1987 in the Argentine city of Rosario. He was raised with three siblings in a working-class neighbourhood known as Barrio General Las Heras. At the age of 5, he started playing for the Grandoli, a small local club in which his family was actively involved. By the time Leo turned 8, he was already playing for the youth academy of Newell’s Old Boys, a major professional squad based in Rosario.

Recognizably smaller than most of the kids in his age group, Lionel Messi was eventually diagnosed as suffering from a growth hormone deficiency. His father unsuccessfully turned to several Argentine football clubs seeking financial aid for an expensive treatment, which almost jeopardized the promising career he envisaged for Leo.

Over the following years, Lionel Messi continued to break record after record to emerge as the top class player for Barcelona and the world at large. Messi’s personal best campaign statistically to date was the 2011–12 season, in which he set the Spanish and European records for most goals scored in a single season, while establishing himself as Barça’s all-time top scorer in official competitions. Following each appearance, the Argentine left-footed star proved to be versatile enough to play anywhere across the frontline and to mesmerize defenders with a mix of skill and pace.

At the international level, Lionel Messi chose to represent homeland Argentina, rather than Spain, despite his dual citizenship. He made his debut with Argentina’s senior team in 2004 and has been the squad’s captain since 2011. Titles won include FIFA’s U-20 World Cup in 2005 and the Olympic Gold Medal in 2008. In June 2016, Leo became Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer, surpassing Gabriel Batistuta’s previous mark of 54 goals.

Off the field, Lionel Messi has been actively involved in charitable efforts aimed at vulnerable children, partly in response to his own medical difficulties as a child. Apart from collaborating with UNICEF with funds and personally as a goodwill ambassador, he also runs the Leo Messi Foundation, which supports children in health care, education, and sport.

Lionel Messi is married to fellow Rosario native Antonela Roccuzzo. They have known each other since Leo was five years old, but only began going out in 2008. The couple has since had three sons: Thiago (2012), Mateo (2015), and Ciro (2018).

Messi Goals and Other Career Stats

Games and goals per team*.

* As of 30 June 2018. Barcelona senior club games and goals counted for the domestic league only.

TITLES WON (34*)

* As of 30 June 2018. With Argentina’s national team, Messi has also been the runner-up in four championships: Copa America 2007, FIFA World Cup 2014, Copa America 2015 and Copa America Centenario 2016.

MAIN AWARDS AND INDIVIDUAL RECORDS

* The Ballon d’Or (French for “Golden Ball”) is an annual football award presented by France Football magazine . It has been granted since 1956, although between 2010 and 2015 it temporarily merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year, and was known as the FIFA Ballon d’Or. Originally, only those players with European citizenship were in contention for the Ballon d’Or, but in 1995 it was expanded to include all players at European clubs and in 2007 to all players from around the world.

Best Lionel Messi Goals (2007-2017)

Tributes to Messi

In buenos aires, argentina.

Statue in Recoleta ( Av. Pres. Manuel Quintana 600 , Recoleta, City of Buenos Aires) By the doorstep of iconic Porteño cafe La Biela lies a colorful Messi statue. He is depicted pointing his fingers towards the sky, Leo’s typical goal dedication to his grandmother.

Statue in Puerto Madero (Costanera Sur, Puerto Madero, City of Buenos Aires)   Lionel Messi’s statue was unveiled in 2016 in the so-called “Paseo de la Gloria” (Passage of Glory) along promenade Costanera Sur, in the Buenos Aires district of Puerto Madero. The passage pays homage to several of Argentina’s sporting greats. Unfortunately, some statues — including Messi’s — have been targeted by vandals.

In Rosario, Argentina

Murals in Rosario   Suprisingly enough, the city that is home to both Lionel Messi and Che Guevara lacks decent tributes to its prodigal sons. As refers to Leo there are some murals in his childhood neighborhood, including an artpiece by Paulo Consentino on a wall outside his school, as well as paintings close to his old house and on the walls of a soccer field where he used to play.

Restaurant in Rosario ( Rioja 411 , Rosario) Bar VIP Rosario is a well-known, well-located restaurant in Rosario, owned by Jorge Messi, Leo’s father. The place serves typical Argentine meals and features a couple of photomurals of el crack .

in barcelona, SPAIN

Mural in Barcelona (Parc de les Tres Xemeneies, Poble Sec, Barcelona)   In 2016, a colourful mural popped up in Barcelona in celebration of Lionel Messi’s fifth Ballon d’Or . A few years earlier, in 2012, another Messi-themed grafitti had been painted on the same wall on occasion of Leo’s third Golden Ball.

Re s taurant in Barcelona  (Enric Granados 86, Barcelona, Spain) A tribute brought by Messi and his siblings to their hometown, Rosario, “Bellavista del Jardín del Norte” is a beautiful restaurant that resembles a small village, with its own church, plaza, cinema, and barbershop. It serves up an interesting mix of international cuisines, from Spain’s most evocative tapas to Lionel Messi’s favorite Argentine dish, “milanesa napolitana a caballo” (breaded veal accompanied by ham, cheese, egg and tomato sauce).

International

Wax Statues   Lionel Messi has been immortalized in wax in several Madame Tussaud’s museums across the globe, including London, New York, Berlin, Amsterdam, Beijing, Tokyo and Wuhan.  In New York, Messi’s figure is placed in an interactive simulator where visitors can practice their best kick in a virtual soccer arena.

Cinema  Messi (2014 film) is a documentary about Leo’s life, directed by cult Spanish filmmaker Álex de la Iglesia. On the other hand, Messi (2017 film) is a movie by Bengali director Riingo Banerjee, in which Lionel Messi’s remembrance serves as a metaphor for the intense passions aroused by football.

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Lionel MESSI

Born in Rosario, Argentina, in 1987, Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, and his illustrious career proves why. The Argentinean footballer, who holds a record eight Ballon d'Or awards , has displayed his talent early on and has always been destined for greatness.

When Messi was 13 years old, he and his family moved to Barcelona, where the club assisted him in treating his growth hormone deficiency . He started playing for FC Barcelona's U14 team. The Argentinean quickly rose through the ranks, impressing everyone with exceptional skills and talent. At 17, he made his first senior appearance for the club and became a vital player for the Blaugranas.

The Rosario's native relationship with Barcelona was very successful. During his 17-year career with the team, he helped them win numerous titles, including 10 La Liga titles , four Champions League crowns , and seven Copa del Rey trophies . He is also the all-time leading scorer in La Liga , with an incredible 474 goals to his name. He left the Spanish club in 2021 to join French powerhouse Paris Saint Germain , where he played two years before joining Inter Miami in the MLS.

On the international stage, the former Barça star has been a standout player for his country. He was instrumental in helping them win the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, where he also won the Golden Ball , awarded to the competition's best player. He was also part of the Argentina under-23 team that won Olympic gold at the Beijing 2008 Games, which remains one of his most treasured career highlights.

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Biography of Lionel Messi

Childhood and youth, personal life, in november, messi won the golden ball award for the 7th time..

Lionel Messi, an Argentine footballer, forward, and captain of the Argentine national team, is one of the greatest players in modern football and the best footballer of all time. His perseverance and unique ability to overcome opponents' defenses will forever be remembered by millions of fans. Although he has achieved numerous titles and honors, Messi claims that individual awards are secondary to him, and the team's success is paramount.

The future footballer was born on June 24, 1987, in the Argentine city of Rosario. He grew up with his two older brothers, Matias and Rodrigo, and his sister, Maria Sol. Lionel's father, Jorge Horacio, worked at a local metallurgical plant and coached a youth football team in his free time, while his mother, Celia Maria, worked in the service industry. Lionel's grandmother was responsible for raising the young talent. She took him to the amateur club "Grandoli" when he was 5 years old and convinced the whole family that the boy would become a talented footballer, firmly stating that he had a gift that other children did not possess. In the future, he would never forget the support of his beloved grandmother Celia, dedicating all his goals to her. Even in his school years, Messi's main passion was football, and he played for the club "Newell's Old Boys". At the age of 11, Lionel began experiencing growth hormone problems, and his deficiency could have led to a complete halt in his physical development, which would have meant the end of his sports career. His parents had to spend $900 each month on his treatment. Thanks to the efforts of his family, his health was not affected. Today, the striker's height is 170 cm, and he weighs 72 kg. Soon, scouts from the football club "Barcelona" noticed the talented boy and invited Lionel to Europe.

In 2000, the Argentine moved to Spain and started playing in the youth team of FC Barcelona. In his first match, Lionel scored four goals, and in the next 30 games, he scored 37 goals. Three years later, he made his professional debut in a friendly match against the Portuguese club "Porto". Messi scored his first goal in 2005 against "Albacete" and became the youngest player in the history of the Catalan club to score in the top Spanish league. His best performance came in 2012 when he scored 50 goals in matches in La Liga. In the 2011/2012 season, the forward, who scored a brace against "Betis", scored his 86th goal in 66 matches, breaking the 40-year record of German striker Gerd Muller. Many will call the period from 2010 to 2012 the best in Lionel Messi's career, as he became the first player in the world to win four FIFA Ballon d'Or awards. He competed with another great footballer of our time, Cristiano Ronaldo, for the number of these awards. Messi's income reached €20 million, and he became the protagonist of a documentary film.

As part of the Argentine team, Messi competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in China, where he won the tournament and became an Olympic champion. In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he reached the quarter-finals with the national team but suffered a devastating 0-4 defeat to Germany. Messi achieved impressive results with the national team, scoring a large number of goals in international competitions: 68 goals in 136 matches. In 2010, during a match against Greece, Lionel received the captain's armband, becoming the youngest captain in the history of Argentine football. In 2016, in the final of the Copa America held in the USA, the team lost to Chile in a penalty shootout with a score of 2-4, and Messi failed to score from the penalty spot. On November 25, 2017, Messi extended his contract with Barcelona until 2021, with a release clause of €700 million. Despite his statement about retiring, Messi came to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The Argentine team drew with Iceland (1-1) and lost to Croatia (0-3). The match against Nigeria was decisive - it was either a place in the round of 16 or a disgraceful return home. Everyone was waiting for a goal from the leader of the team, and it happened in the 14th minute of the match. Argentina defeated Nigeria and advanced to the round of 16.

On June 30, 2018, the French national team "buried" the Argentine national team. The match ended with a score of 4-3 in favor of France, and Messi and the team went home.

Messi's first official girlfriend is considered to be Macarena Lemos, an Argentinean, with whom Lionel began dating at the age of 19. However, Messi's passion for football soon put an end to their relationship.

In 2006, Messi started a romance with another Argentinean, model, and Playboy star Luciana Salazar. But this romance also didn't last long.

Lionel found happiness with his longtime acquaintance Antonella Roccuzzo, who became his wife. The footballer got to know her in his childhood as they lived in the same city, and Messi often played football with her brothers. In 2009, Messi admitted to journalists that he had a girlfriend and was happy in his personal life.

On November 2, 2012, Roccuzzo and Messi welcomed their first son, Thiago. And in April 2015, the famous footballer announced that their family would soon have another addition. Soon, they had two more children: their son Mateo was born.

On June 30, 2017, Lionel Messi married Antonella Roccuzzo in the city of Rosario. The event was luxurious and took place with heightened security measures, as 250 guests, including stars of world football and other celebrities, attended the celebration. In October 2017, the couple announced that they were expecting another child.

In March 2018, Messi and his wife welcomed their third son, named Ciro. Family photos of the athlete often appear on his Instagram page.

In memory of his childhood years when Messi had to fight for his own health, the footballer now participates in charity work. His foundation raises funds to help sick Argentine children in need of expensive treatment. Among the organization's beneficiaries are teenagers with growth hormone deficiencies.

In 2016, Messi and his father were accused of tax evasion. The forward was fined €2 million, and Jorge Messi was sentenced to 21 months in prison. However, the athlete managed to evade the charges by creating an offshore company to hide income that raised suspicion from tax authorities. Messi was cleared of all charges. The fact that he did not refuse to play in charity matches played in his favor.

In 2021, the footballer continued his sporting career. The beginning of the year was not very successful for him. In January, while playing in the Spanish Super Cup, Messi received his first red card at the club level. The reason for the punishment was a hit to the head of an opponent. Later, in the Round of 16 of the Champions League, Barcelona was eliminated from the tournament, marking the first time in 14 years that the team had been eliminated at this stage.

The press often published forecast articles speculating on which club the forward would choose when his contract with Barcelona expired. Some of them were even joking. In January, a fictional conversation between the player and Spartak appeared on the Internet. Earlier, the media also reported that the player was being pursued by David Beckham's Inter Miami CF. In May, it was finally confirmed that the forward had extended his contract with Barcelona until the summer of 2023. However, in August, the news broke that Messi had left Barcelona. As announced by the club's press service, the contract could not be renewed due to financial regulations in the Spanish league.

On August 10, Lionel arrived in Paris and signed a contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) until 2023, with the option to extend it until 2024. Messi's jersey number is 30. Since he joined as a free agent, the French club did not have to pay a transfer fee, which could have become a record in the history of football.

In June 2023, it was announced that Messi would leave PSG at the end of the season. There was great intrigue as to which club the footballer would choose. There were negotiations with Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, which, according to reports, offered up to a billion euros for a 2-year contract. At the same time, Barcelona made attempts to bring Lionel back.

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Motivational Lionel Messi Quotes And Facts About Messi

Inside : A collection of Lionel Messi quotes and facts about Messi, along with resources for learning about his life and accomplishments.

Lionel Messi, soccer legend, is among the greatest athletes of all time.

Smashing record after record, he is the second-highest paid athlete in the world. Messi overcame a childhood growth deficiency to train at FC Barcelona and play 16 seasons there, in addition to playing in 5 World Cups for Argentina.

“For a time, he was simultaneously the best scorer, the best passer, and the best dribbler in the world, and even at age 34, you could still argue he’s all three. He has won everything there is to be won with his club, and done it with verve and style and more magic than our base mortal selves deserve.” – Slate.com

Despite his unimaginable fame and success, reading Messi’s own words give a special insight into how he sees himself and his beloved sport.

Related: Famous Latinos & Hispanic Americans Home Page

Here’s an index of what’s included in the post. You can click on any link to jump straight to that section :

1. Facts About Messi 2. Lionel Messi Quotes 3. Lionel Mess Lessons for Kids 4. Biography Videos of Lionel Messi

Fast Facts About Lionel Messi

Birthday: June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina

Family: Messi is married to Antonella Roccuzzo and they have have three children: Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro. 

Childhood: Messi played soccer from childhood. His first official team was Newell’s Old Boys, a local youth football team.

Health Issues: He suffered from a hormone deficiency and had to receive expensive injections to help him grow. (He is now 5′ 7″.)

FC Barcelona: At 13, Barcelona offered to pay for Messi’s treatment and have him join their renowned youth academy, La Masia . Messi’s family left Argentina and moved to Spain.

After seeing Messi play in just one game, the Barcelona Director Carles Rexach wanted to sign him on the spot and wrote a contract onto a paper napkin. (his father Jorge had threatened to sign elsewhere).

Professional Career: Messi had an informal debut with FC Barcelona at just 16, becoming the youngest player ever to score for them. He played for Barcelona for 16 seasons, and in 2021 signed to play for Paris Saint-Germain.

Goals: As of this post, Lionel Messi has scored over 750 goals, putting him among the best in the world. He is currently the top scorer for a single soccer club, at over 650 goals.

Shot Accuracy: 48% (for Barcelona).

World Cup:  Messi has played for Argentina in five World Cups so far, scoring six times.

After Argentina’s second loss to Chile in the 2016 Copa America, he decided to no longer play for the national team. He reversed this decision and played in the 2018 World Cup. However, winning the World Cup has eluded Lionel Messi until now. 

Charity Work:

The Leo Messi foundation was established in 2007 to help underprivileged youth.

Leo Messi Awards

• FIFA World Player of the Year Award (2008)
• Olympic Gold Medal with Argentinian Team (2008 Beijing Olympics)
• 2010 UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
• FIFA Best Men’s Player Award (2019)
• 6 FIFA Ballon d’Or Awards (Golden Ball Award)
• Argentine Footballer of the Year (14 times)
• La Liga Best Player (6 times)
• 6 European Golden Shoes
• First player to score 5 goals in a Champions League Match
• Most Goals in a Calendar Year (2012)
• Most goals among players of South American National Teams
• FC Barcelona All-Time Top Scorer
• Top scorer in a La Liga Season
• Guinness World Record top scorer for a club

Image Source

10 Messi Motivational Quotes

1. “Every year I try to grow as a player and not get stuck in a rut. I try to improve my game in every way possible.”

– Lionel Messi

2. “You can overcome anything, if and if only you love something enough.”

3. “You have to fight to achieve your dreams. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it.”

4. “I start early and I stay late, day after day, year after year, it took me 17 years and 114 days to become an overnight success.”

5. “I’m happy with a ball at my feet. My motivation comes from playing the game I love.”

  Estoy feliz con un balón en los pies. Mi motivación viene de jugar el juego que amo.

6. “Every year I try to grow as a player and not get stuck in a rut. I try to improve my game in every way possible.”

7. “I try to use pressure to help me in every game. Pressure helps me do things to the best of my ability. I like it. I don’t feel pressure; quite the contrary, because I always enjoy what I’m doing and that’s playing football.”

8. “It takes sacrifice as well as talent.”

9. “The day you think there is no improvements to be made is a sad one for any player.”

El día en que parezca que no hay mejoras por hacer será un día muy triste para cualquier jugador.

10. “My ambition is always to get better and better.”

25 More Lionel Messi Quotes

1. “I have fun like a child in the street. When the day comes when I’m not enjoying it, I will leave football.”

Me divierto cómo un niño en la calle. El día que no disfrute en el campo, voy a dejar el fútbol.

2. “The best decisions aren’t made with your mind, but with your instincts.”

3. “I still have a lot of room for improvement. For example, I want to shoot equally well with both feet.”

Aún tengo mucho espacio para mejorar. Por ejemplo, quiero patear igual con ambos pies.

4. “Many years ago when I first started my career Maradona told me “to enjoy and play as you know”, and that’s stayed with me ever since and is the best advice I’ve been given.”

5. “I don’t need the best hairstyle or the best body. Just give me a ball at my feet and I’ll show you what I can do.”

No necesito el mejor cabello o el mejor cuerpo. Solo denme un balón de fútbol y te mostraré lo que puedo hacer.

6. “Whether it’s a friendly match, or for points, or a final, or any game – I play the same. I’m always trying to be my best, first for my team, for myself, for the fans, and to try and win.”

7. “I like to score goals but I also like to have friends among the people I have played with.”

Me gusta meter goles, pero también tener amigos entre la gente con la que he jugado.

8. “Without the help of my teammates I would be nothing. I wouldn’t win titles, honors, nothing.”

Sin la ayuda de mis compañeros no sería nada de nada. No ganaría títulos, ni premios ni nada.

9. “I am a normal person. I have the same life as any human being. When I finish playing, doing my work, I have my family, my friends, and I live like any other person.”

10. “If I hadn’t had support, I wouldn’t have been able to fulfill my dreams.”

11. “In football as in watchmaking, talent and elegance mean nothing without rigour and precision.”

12. “When I was a kid, my friends would call me to go out with them, but I would stay home because I had practice the next day.”

Cuando era niño, mis amigos me llamaban para salir con ellos, pero me gustaba quedarme en casa porque tenía entrenamiento al día siguiente.

13. “Every time I start a year, I start with the objective of trying to achieve everything, without comparing it to how I’ve done in other seasons.”

14. “Money is not a motivating factor. Money doesn’t thrill me or make me play better because there are benefits to being wealthy. I’m just happy with a ball at my feet. My motivation comes from playing the game I love. If I wasn’t paid to be a professional footballer I would willingly play for nothing.”

15. “Sometimes, you have to accept you can’t win all the time.”

  Algunas veces tienes que aceptar que no siempre puedes ganar.

16. “Before if I lost or did something wrong I didn’t talk to anyone for three or four days until it passed. Now, I come home after a game, I see my son, and everything is alright.”

17. “When the year starts the objective is to win it all with the team, personal records are secondary.”

18. “Being a bit famous now gives me the opportunity to help people who really need it, especially children.”

19. “Something deep in my character allows me to take the hits and get on with trying to win.”

20. “I’m always proudest whenever I’ve been part of a trophy-winning team. Lifting a title makes me feel so happy because it’s what I want to do in football: be successful.”

21. “I never had any problems with my height. I was always the smallest kid, at school and in my teams.”

22. “My style of play has always been the same. I never tried to develop a specific style. From very young I just played this way.”

23. “I would pass onto any young player to enjoy your football, play your football as you want to play the game, try and enjoy it and make the most of it.” 

24. “I’m lucky to be part of a team who help to make me look good, and they deserve as much of the credit for my success as I do for the hard work we have all put in on the training ground.”

Tengo la suerte de ser parte de un equipo que ayuda a hacer que me vea bien, y ellos merecen mucho del crédito de mi éxito, como yo lo hago por el arduo trabajo que todos hemos puesto en el campo de entrenamiento.

25. “Being a bit famous now gives me the opportunity to help people who really need it, especially children.”

26. “From the age of three, I played every day-morning, afternoon and night.”

27. “I go out and do the best I can in each game, and I don’t think about the fouls other players will commit or whether I might be injured. It only does you harm to worry about those things.”

28. “Give the opponents more than one reason to stare at your feet.”

29. “Being a bit famous now gives me the opportunity to help people who really need it, especially children.”

30. “I think my desire to always get better, to always want more, to always be my top critic, and accepting the good and the bad is a trait that accounts for my success.”

31. “I made sacrifices leaving Argentina, leaving my family to begin a new life. I changed my friends, my people. Everything. But everything I did, I did for soccer, to achieve my dream.”

He hecho sacrificios al dejar Argentina, dejando a mi familia para empezar una nueva vida. He cambiado mis amigos, mi gente. Todo. Pero todo lo que hice, lo hice por el fútbol, para lograr mi sueño.

32. “In football as in watchmaking, talent and elegance mean nothing without rigor and precision.You cannot allow your desire to be a winner to be diminished by achieving success before and I believe there is room for improvement in every sportsman.”

33. “You have got to love the game.”

34. “I want to concentrate on winning things with Barcelona and Argentina. Then if people want to say nice things about me when I have retired, great. Right now, I need to concentrate on being part of a team – not just on me.”

35. “I know how important it is to have a helping hand. In my childhood I had difficult times because of hormonal problems. If I hadn’t had support, I wouldn’t have been able to fulfill my dreams.”

36. “Goals are only important if they win games.”

37. “A lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of a sheep.”

38. “I always thought about carrying on training and working, chasing my dream.”

39. “One of the Arsenal players came up to me afterwards and said it had been an honor to be on the same pitch as me. I thought, My God, that is a great thing to say when your team has just lost.”

40. “Motivation is not something I struggle with. I love playing football, I love being in training.”

Printables and links to learn more

Free Resources for students:

• Online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary on Lionel Messi.
• Levelled Non-Fiction Reading in English : Lionel Messi Biography
• For intermediate-advanced Spanish students, Radioambulante has put out a podcast about Messi’s last World Cup , complete with a transcript .
• NPR also has a podcast series in English, with a special focus on themes of immigration, race, class, and colonialism.

You can check out these resources as well, for more:

Lionel Messi Biography Videos

Short biography of Lionel Messi, in English (3min 22s)

This is a short illustrated story of Messi’s life that is highly engaging for kids (4min 19s):

Illustrated Lionel Messi biography in Spanish (5m 13s):

I hope these quotes and resources were helpful to you! If you have more ideas for resources or lessons, let me know in the comments below!

Image Sources:

“ Lionel Messi ” ( CC BY-SA 2.0 ) by  theglobalpanorama

“ Save the Dream at the Match of Champions ” ( CC BY 2.0 ) by  Save the Dream

“ FIFA Street – Messi ” ( CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ) by  EA SPORTS FIFA

“ 60724191 ” ( CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ) by  Articularnos.com

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Lionel Messi Biography

Barcelona, and later on, PSG superstar Lionel Messi has set up records for goals scored, winning individual awards on the way to worldwide recognition as the best soccer player in the world. Read on to find out more about Lionel Messi biography.

is an Argentinian soccer player who plays as a forward for the

 club and the

At the age of 13, Messi moved from Argentina to Spain after Barcelona talent scouts noticed his potential. Due to a growth hormone deficiency that was discovered by doctors, the club covered the cost of his medical care.

Messi assisted the Blaugranas in winning more than twenty league titles and competitions in return. He is a goal-scoring machine who just likes to score goals, and over the past few years, he has broken many records doing so. In 2012, Messi set a record for most goals scored. For the sixth time in 2019, he was recognized as the first male football player to win the Ballon d'Or.

Messi defeated Jorginho and Robert Lewandowski to win the seventh Ballon d'Or award in 2021, which is given to the sport's top player.

The Flea is in a league of his own thanks to his exceptional dribbling abilities and elusive tricks with the ball. At age 35, he is a playmaker and electrifying talent in addition to being a goal-scoring machine.

Any position the little maestro plays, he performs superbly. The best finisher, creator, passer, and mover is without a doubt Messi. He is able to play almost anywhere on the field thanks to his unmatched vision and positional awareness.

All You Need to Know About Lionel Messi Biography

Messi has often been described as Diego Maradona’s successor because of his prolific goalscoring record and ability to dribble past opponents.

“I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Messi. Messi is a genius, and he can become an even better player.”

His potential is limitless, and I think he’s got everything it takes to become Argentina’s greatest player,” Maradona said.

Lionel Messi Information

The Argentine is arguably a keen pass distributor who can readily thread his way through defenses. His short stature (5 feet, 7 inches), combined with his speed and relentless attacking style, has drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona. Read on to find out more about

Lionel Messi biography

Lionel Messi Bio

Full name: Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini

Nicknames: “La Pulga” [the flea]; “La Pulga Atomica” [atomic flea], Messidona; the GOAT

Profession: Professional Football Player

Lionel Messi Physical Stats

Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)

Weight: 72 kg

Eye Color: Dark Brown

Hair Color: Dark Brown

Lionel Messi Football Information

Foot: left-footed

Playing Position: Right-winger, Forward

Jersey Number: 30

Professional Debut: the 2003-2004 season

Lionel Messi Date of Birth and Personal Information

Date of birth: 24 June 1987 (1987-06-24)

Place of birth: Rosario, Argentina

Wife: Antonella Roccuzzo (M. 2017)

Father: Jorge Messi

Mother: Celia María Cuccittini

Siblings: Maria Sol Messi, Matias Messi, Rodrigo Messi

Children: Ciro Messi Roccuzz, Mateo Messi, Thiago Messi

Religion: Roman Catholic

Lionel Messi Early Life

Talking about

Lionel Messi bio

, it should be mentioned that Leo Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. He began playing from an early age, and everybody who watched his performance admitted that he had a superb talent. Messi used to tag along when his two older brothers, Matias and Rodrigo, played soccer with their friends.

He was recruited to join the youth system of Newell's Old Boys, a Rosario-based club at the age of 8. Messi was recognizably smaller than most of the kids in his age group and was eventually diagnosed suffering from a hormone deficiency that restricted his growth.

Messi's parents, Jorge and Celia, decided on growth-hormone injections for their son, however, it was impossible to pay several hundred dollars per month for the required medication.

His local club, River Plate were interested in signing him but were reluctant to pay for his medical treatment.

Messi was offered the chance to train at soccer powerhouse FC Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, at the age of 13. Moreover, the team accepted to pay for his medical bills. Therefore, Messi's parents decided to move across the Atlantic to make a new home in Spain.

Messi was given a trial with Barcelona, and Coach Carles Rexach was impressed by his performance and offered him a contract, which was written on a paper napkin!

Finally, Messi moved to Barcelona with his father and became part of the renowned FC Barcelona youth academy. Although Messi was often homesick in the new club, he moved quickly through the junior system ranks.

Lionel Messi Profile

Messi's professional career started in 1995 at Newell's Old Boys, where he played up to 2000. He crossed the Atlantic to try his luck in Barcelona at the age of 13.

Messi made spectacular progress at each age level, climbing through the ranks to Barcelona C, followed by Barcelona B and the first team in a short period of time, which was another record for the little superstar.

Messi began playing from an early age, and his talent was unquestionable. However, the path for the little star was not that smooth as he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD).

His condition required expensive medical treatment, including the use of the drug Human growth hormone. His local club, River Plate, did not accept to pay for his medical treatment.

Messi was given a chance at Barcelona, and the coach confirmed his inner talent and agreed to recruit him. Messi had to move to Spain at a young age.

“I made a lot of sacrifices by leaving Argentina, leaving my family to start a new life. But everything I did, I did for football, to achieve my dream. That’s why I didn’t go out partying, or do a lot of other things,” Messi said.

“Barcelona is my life. They have brought me to where I am today. I could not leave, I don’t want to leave. I know the

is very good. But I cannot see myself playing in England because my heart is with Barcelona, always.”

Style of play

Messi is widely regarded as one of the most exciting players of the modern age. He has a peerless ability to dribble and take on opponents.

Messi has been in Spain since he was 11, and he has Spanish nationality. In 2004, he was offered the chance to play for Spain’s Under 20 side, but Messi decided to play for Argentina, the country of his birth. In fact,

Lionel Messi nationality

is both Argentine and Spanish.

He led Argentina to victory in the 2005 FIFA Youth Championship. Messi made his full international debut in August 2005, during a friendly against

. In his first game, Messi was sent off for allegedly elbowing a player.

The decision was contentious and not in keeping with Messi’s style of play which is generally clean and in the spirit of fair play; he has very rarely been accused of diving.

Messi has said that he wishes to retain the joy of how a child plays football. “I have changed nothing, my style of play is still that of a child. I know that above all it is my job and that I should approach it in another way, but one must not lose sight of the fact that football is a game. It is imperative one plays to amuse oneself, to be happy. That is what children do and I do the same thing,” Messi said.

Maradona has described Messi’s ball control as heavenly good, “The ball stays glued to his foot; I’ve seen great players in my career, but I’ve never seen anyone with Messi’s ball control.”

Messi established himself among the world's best players at age 20. Diego Maradona considered the 18-year-old Messi the best player in the world alongside

The Brazilian himself, shortly after winning the Ballon d'Or, commented, "I'm not even the best at Barça", in reference to his protégé. Four years later, after Messi had won his first Ballon d'Or by a record margin, the public debate regarding his qualities as a player moved beyond his status in contemporary football to the possibility that he was one of the greatest players in history.

An early proponent was his then-manager

, who, as early as August 2009, declared Messi to be the best player he had ever seen.

In the following years, this opinion gained greater acceptance among pundits, managers, former and current players, and by the end of Barça's second treble-winning season, Messi's superiority, ahead of Maradona and Pelé, had become the apparent view among many fans and pundits in Europe.

A frequent dismissal, however, has centered on the fact that Messi has not won the FIFA World Cup or any other major trophy with Argentina, leading the majority to cite him as arguably the best club player in history.

Messi is often compared and contrasted with Cristiano Ronaldo and many consider it as the biggest conundrum in football since the ‘Diego Maradona or Pele’ comparison.

Although both have quite similar records, Ronaldo's seasonal totals have recently declined to some extent while Messi's have remained consistent.

Goal Celebration

The GOAT has deployed an array of celebrations over the years, but one specific gesture has been recognized as his goalscoring signature. After scoring, he often points a finger on each hand towards the sky as he makes his way back to the center-circle.

Celia Olivera Cuccittini is the person to whom each and every one of those goals is dedicated: Messi's grandmother, who passed away in 1998.

She encouraged Leo to play, took him to matches, and thus played a huge role in shaping the path of the greatest footballer of all time.

The Argentine magician turned in one of his greatest ever El Clasico performances in 2017 as Barca scored a priceless 3-2 victory over

. It was a win that blew the

title race wide open that season and victory was earned in the sweetest possible way for the Blaugrana.

Messi scored all three points with a dramatic late winner and proceeded to deliver one of the most iconic goal celebrations ever seen on a football pitch.

With Madridistas around the stadium in disbelief, Messi proceeded to take off his shirt and hold it in front of the Barca fans.

However, Messi isn't always happy at finding the back of the net as there are times when, for some unknown reasons, he just walks back to the center-circle after scoring.

Lionel Messi Outside Football

Almost universally regarded as the best soccer player in the game, Messi has additionally become the commercial face of soccer with endorsements from Adidas, Pepsi, EA Sports and Turkish Airways, among other companies.

Messi broke a long standing record that had previously belonged to Pele since 1974, by scoring against Valladolid.

It was Messi's 644th goal for Barcelona, taking him above Brazilian legend Pele's 643 strikes for Santos as the most scored for a single club.

Budweiser sent each goalkeeper who'd conceded one of those 644 goals a bottle of beer, and a bottle for each goal meaning that some goalkeepers were having a very merry Christmas, with Diego Alves holding the record with 21 beers!

Lionel Messi Personal life

In this part of Lionel Messi biography, his personal life is discussed. Messi was born to Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini in Rosario, Santa Fe Province. He has three siblings, two elder brothers Rodrigo and Matias, and a sister, Maria Sol. His father was a factory steelworker and his mother was employed as a part-time cleaner.

Lionel Messi religion

is Roman Catholic.

Family, children and relationships

On June 30, 2017, Messi married Antonella Roccuzzo, his longtime girlfriend and the cousin of his best friend and fellow soccer player, Lucas Scaglia.

Lionel Messi childhood

was so interesting as he met his wife when he was only five years old and in 2017, he married his childhood friend, Antonella in what was called the “wedding of the century.”

The two have known each other for their entire lives, meeting in Argentina. Messi and Roccuzzo had two sons together, Thiago and Mateo before they got engaged.

Messi’s lavish wedding had over 260 guests at a luxury hotel. Many of the attendees were professional soccer players and other celebrities;

, Cesc Fabregas, Javier Mascherano, and

, Pique, and Shakira were among the guests at this elegant, star-studded wedding.

Messi and Roccuzzo have three children together: Thiago, born in November 2012, Mateo, born in September 2015 and Ciro, born in March 2018.

It has been reported that Messi briefly dated a young model named Macarena Lemos when he was 18 and the model was 14. The ex-girlfriend of Barcelona star claimed that the player's mother came after her in a Rosario shopping center armed with a frying pan.

Despite the incident, Macarena has claimed that she would still like to spend a night with the world's best footballer.

While Messi was traveling to Barcelona, Antonella dated another man. The couple had some time off when Messi was away in Spain, and the unknown man tried stealing Roccuzzo’s heart.

When Antonella found out about Messi's return to Argentina, she quickly dumped her ex-boyfriend to go back to her true match. However, her ex-boyfriend forgave her as she had dumped her for Messi!

Philanthropy

This part of Lionel Messi biography is about his philanthropic activities. Although

Lionel Messi life story

has been kept out of the spotlight, he has quietly helped others in need. In 2007, he formed the Leo Messi Foundation to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youths.

In early 2010, UNICEF named him a goodwill ambassador, with a focus on fighting for children's rights across the globe.

In February 2019, Messi’s foundation donated €200,000 (£175,000/$218,000) to UNICEF projects in Kenya that allowed over 2,000 citizens access to free food and water.

Moreover, his organization joined forces with the Josep Carreras Leukemia Foundation to help in the work towards improving leukemia treatment.

During the coronavirus crisis of 2020, Messi made a reported donation of €1 million to be split between Hospital Clinic in Catalunya and another health center in Argentina.

A quite impressive Philanthropic activity was done when a young Afghan boy, Murtaza Ahmady, was pictured wearing a Lionel Messi shirt which he'd made himself out of a bin bag.

Messi heard about it and arranged through UNICEF for a signed shirt to be sent to him. Later, Murtaza got the chance to meet his hero, Messi, when he was picked to be a mascot in a friendly game between Barcelona and Al-Ahli in Qatar.

Legal issues

In July 2016, Lionel Messi and his father, who managed his financial affairs, had some drama with tax law.

They were found guilty of resorting to fictitious companies to evade Spanish taxes on income from companies using Lionel Messi's image rights.

During a four-day trial, both denied breaking the law and claimed they were unaware of any tax laws that governed Spain.

However, they were both sentenced to 21 months in prison. Under Spanish law, first offenses under two years are suspended so they did not go to jail. So, they were pardoned in court.

On 6 July 2016, Messi and his father were both found guilty of tax evasion and were given suspended 21-month prison sentences and fines equivalent to €1.7 million and €1.4 million, respectively.

Lionel Messi Career Statistics

In this part of

, his career statistics are discussed. Messi has played his entire professional career for FC Barcelona, where he first signed at age 13. Some people believe that Messi could have played for any club. However, it was Barcelona that decided to spent time and money on someone with serious health issues.

There is an old saying, “Gold is not picked refined; it has to go through a process.” Messi went through the process and compensated time and money the club had spent. He has won many laurels and trophies for the club over the years, starring in La Liga for over 15 years until finally leaving for France. 

Messi made his first appearance for the FC Barcelona, placing himself in the record books on May 1, 2005, as the youngest player to ever score a goal for the club. He led Argentina to the title in the under-20 World Cup, scoring on a pair of penalty kicks against Nigeria.

Messi helped Barcelona to be among the

, most strikingly in 2009, when the Catalan giants won the Champions League, La Liga, and Spanish Super Cup titles.

In 2019, after two consecutive runner-up finishes, Messi took home his first FIFA "World Player of the Year" honor/Ballon d'Or award.

Amazingly, Messi kept on improving, discovering new ways to escape defenders while leading Barcelona to La Liga and Spanish Super Cup championships in 2010 and 2011, as well as the 11 Champions League title.

Messi was the first footballer to score five goals in a Champions League match in 2012, and later, he surpassed Cesar Rodriguez’s club-record 232 goals to become Barcelona's all-time leading goalscorer.

Messi had aggregated an astounding 91 goals in club and international play, overshadowing the 85 netted in a single calendar year by Gerd Muller in 1972. He broke another record when he was named the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner for the fourth time in January 2013.

The soccer superstar suffered from hamstring injuries, but he regained his record-breaking form by becoming the all-time leading scorer in La Liga and Champions League play in late 2014.

After helping Barcelona accomplish a notable second treble in 2015, Messi was honored with his fifth FIFA Ballon d'Or trophy.

Messi signed a contract with Paris Saint-Germain on August 10. He agreed to a two-year contract that runs through June 2023 with a one-year option. Messi selected the number 30 for his team, the same number he wore for Barcelona when he made his senior debut as a teenager.

On August 29, Messi made his professional debut for the team by substituting in the second half of a 2-0 Ligue 1 victory away at Reims. He scored his first goal for the team on September 28 in a 2-0 Champions League group stage victory over Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, shooting from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Messi quickly regained his form from the previous season by kicking off the new campaign on July 31 by scoring PSG's first goal in a 4-0 victory over Nantes in the Trophée des Champions, winning his first trophy with the club. Messi was placed in his preferred position as the playmaker behind two strikers, in an attacking trident with Neymar and Kylian Mbappé.

International

In 2006, Messi participated in the World Cup, becoming Argentina’s youngest player to play in the world cup. However, Argentina were eliminated in the quarter-finals.

In 2008, Messi won an Olympic gold medal for Argentina at the Beijing Olympics. Barcelona did not want him to play, but the new coach, Pep Guardiola, allowed him to do so.

In the 2010 World Cup, Messi attempted to help Argentina reach the quarter-finals. Messi was highly motivated to score but Argentina disappointingly lost 4-0 to

in the quarter-final.

Messi has admitted that he is desperate to play in a world cup final. Winning in the World Cup would be the last test of greatness for the maestro.

Despite continuous praise at the club level, Messi has been roughly criticized for his inability to help Argentina's national team win a major title. He helped his team to the final of the 2014 World Cup and was named player of the tournament, although his team lost to Germany.

In 2016, following Argentina's second consecutive loss to

in the final of the Copa America tournament, Messi announced that he was ending his run with the national team.

The soccer great eventually changed his mind, but his participation in the 2018 World Cup did not bring that title, as was expected. Messi scored an early goal in a 2-1 win over

that helped his team advance from the group stage, but his two assists were not enough to fight off a 4-3 defeat that eliminated Argentina.

Lionel Messi finally won his first major title with Argentina and lifted the Copa America trophy in 2021.

In 2019, after Messi heavily criticized the referees in the wake of a 2-0 loss to

in the Copa America semifinals, he was banned from international football for three months after accusing CONMEBOL of corruption.

Now for this player's most magnificent accomplishment, Messi made his record-tying 26th appearance in the World Cup finals on December 18 and helped Argentina win the tournament with a 4-2 victory over France at Lusail Stadium in a penalty shootout following a 3-3 tie in extra time, ending Argentina's 36-year trophy drought. Messi scored twice in the shootout and successfully converted his penalty.

With seven goals in seven games, Messi became the first World Cup player since the last-16 round's introduction in 1986 to score in every round. He also won the Golden Ball twice, making history as the first player to do so. With Mbappé winning the Golden Boot, he came in second.

Lionel Messi honors

The last part of

includes his honors and awards. Messi has helped his club win a lot of trophies by scoring numerous goals during his career. He is legitimately the unrivaled player in the world of football.

Nobody can maintain his level for a decade and a half. Despite the fact that he has endeavored to accomplish what he has now, his success has a lot to do with his exceptional talent.

Messi had 749 appearances and scored 644 goals for the Catalan giants. He has helped his club win 10 La Liga and 4 Champions Leagues. Individually, he has won the Ballon d’Or award seven times and the European Golden Boot six times, the most for any football player.

In addition, he became the FIFA World Player of the Year and got for himself one best FIFA Men’s Player award. There is no surprise that he is the greatest soccer player of all time.

He has made a total of 53 appearances for PSG and has scored 23 goals for the team. 

And for the final honor, the World Cup 2022 found itself in the hands of the GOAT, after Argentina beat France in the Final match of this Tournament.

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Lionel Messi

Introduction.

Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. He began playing soccer as a young boy. By 1995 he was a good enough player to join Newell’s Old Boys, a top-division soccer club in Rosario. Messi’s skills won attention on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and at the age of 13 Messi moved to Barcelona, Spain, to join FC Barcelona’s under-14 team. He scored 21 goals in 14 games for the junior team. He rose through the ranks until he made his first-team debut at age 16.

FC Barcelona

In the 2004–05 season Messi, at 17 years old, became the youngest official player and goal scorer for the Spanish La Liga (the country’s highest division of soccer). The next year Messi helped FC Barcelona win the Champions League (the European club championship) title. By 2008 he was one of the most dominant players in the world. During the 2008–09 season Messi scored 38 goals in 51 games and led his team to its first “treble”—winning three major European club titles in one season. He won his first FIFA World Player of the Year honors that year as well. The following season he scored 34 goals, and Barcelona repeated as La Liga champions. Messi won the Golden Shoe award as Europe’s top scorer and his second world player of the year award.

During the 2010–11 season Messi led Barcelona to La Liga and Champions League titles. He became the first player to win a third straight world player of the year award. In March 2012, at the age of 24, he scored his 233rd goal. This made him Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer in La Liga play. Messi went on to break a 39-year-old major European football league record when he finished the 2011–12 season with 73 goals in all competitions. This performance led to him being the first player to ever win a fourth world player of the year award.

Messi continued to perform at the highest level. In 2014 he broke the career scoring records for both the Champions League (72 goals) and La Liga (253 goals). Messi helped Barcelona capture another treble in the 2014–15 season, which resulted in his fifth world player of the year award. Over the next four seasons Messi led Barcelona to various championships, including numerous La Liga and Copa del Rey (the main Spanish cup competition) titles. In 2019 he won his sixth world player of the year award. In March 2021 Messi broke a Barcelona club record when he played his 768th game for the team. He won his seventh player of the year award that year as well. After playing for Barcelona for 21 years, Messi left the club in 2021. He went on to play in France for Paris Saint-Germain.

Argentina National Team

Despite his career in Spain, Messi maintained strong ties with his home country of Argentina. He has played on various Argentine national teams from 2005. He played on Argentina’s winning 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship team and helped sweep Argentina to the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games . Messi was a key player on Argentina’s World Cup teams. In 2014 Messi was responsible for getting the team to its first World Cup final in 24 years. Even though Argentina lost to Germany, Messi won the Golden Ball award for the tournament’s best player. In 2022 Messi led Argentina to its first World Cup championship since 1986.

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Lionel Messi Biography

Birthday: June 24 , 1987 ( Cancer )

Born In: Rosario, Argentina

Recommended For You

Nick Name: Atomic Flea

Also Known As: Lionel Andrés Messi, Leo Messi

Age: 37 Years , 37 Year Old Males

Spouse/Ex-: Antonella Roccuzzo (m. 2017)

father: Jorge Messi

mother: Celia María Cuccittini

siblings: Maria Sol Messi, Matias Messi , Rodrigo Messi

children: Ciro Messi Roccuzz, Mateo Messi, Thiago Messi

Quotes By Lionel Messi Football Players

Height: 5'7" (170 cm ), 5'7" Males

Ancestry: Argentine Spanish

City: Rosario, Argentina

You wanted to know

What are some of lionel messi's notable career achievements.

Lionel Messi has won multiple FIFA Ballon d'Or awards, numerous La Liga titles with FC Barcelona, and holds the record for most goals scored in a calendar year.

Can Lionel Messi speak English?

Yes, Lionel Messi can speak English, although he is more comfortable conducting interviews and interactions in Spanish.

How many children does Lionel Messi have?

Lionel Messi has three children with his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo.

Does Lionel Messi have any tattoos?

Yes, Lionel Messi has several tattoos on his body, including dedications to his family and his personal beliefs.

What is Lionel Messi's playing style?

Lionel Messi is known for his exceptional dribbling skills, vision on the field, and ability to score goals from various positions.

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Lionel Messi Biography Facts, Childhood, Career, Life

Lionel Andres Messi Cuccittini (born June 24, 1987) is an Argentine professional football player, who despite the odds against him, turns things around and brings out a miracle when it’s least expected. He captains and plays forward for Barcelona (Spanish club) as well as the Argentina national team. Ever since he was a kid, he has entertained many with his prodigious skills, amazing dribbles, astounding swiftness and powerful shots. Now a global icon, he still adds to the thrill of the beautiful game of football. We discuss the life of Lionel Messi, fondly referred to as the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) in our Lionel Messi biography facts, childhood, career and personal life. 

Our analysis includes Messi’s rise from being a football enthusiast at a tender age to now becoming the modern-age face-of-the-game, and how he overcame the seemingly insurmountable challenges that stood between him and his dreams.

Table of Contents

Lionel Messi Biography Quick Facts, Age

Here are some quick biography facts you should know about the Argentine professional football player.

Lionel Messi Childhood & Early Life

Lionel Andres Messi Cuccittini was given birth to on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, to a steel factory manager, Jorge Messi and his wife Celia Cuccittini. Messi was the third of four children they gave birth to. He grew up in a family where the game of football was adored.

At a tender age, he played with his elder brothers before joining a local club, Grandoli, before moving on to Newell’s Old Boys. At Grandoli, Messi was coached by his father, but his grandmother accompanied him to his matches as well as training. He was thus affected by her. His unique style of celebration which involves looking up and pointing to the sky is a tribute to his late grandmother.

Messi’s dream of becoming a professional footballer was threatened when he clocked 10 years. He was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. As a result of his family’s inability to bear the expense of his treatment, they resorted to football clubs who saw Messi as a potential to bear the cost. After several setbacks, Messi’s treatment cost was paid for by Barcelona. After his transfer to Barcelona, he did not make appearances regularly in matches due to transfer issues with Newell as well as the unusual signing of foreign plays by European Clubs. After joining the Royal Spanish Football Federation, he began playing for Barcelona. Upon completion of his growth hormone deficiency treatment, he became a force to reckon with in the Barcelona youth team.

Lionel Messi Club Career

Fc barcelona.

Messi progressed through the ranks of Barcelona’s junior team, leading to his move to the senior team. He debuted for five teams in a season. During the international break, Messi was among the few players who helped strengthen the first team in the absence of the players. Messi finally debuted for the senior team at the age of 16. Messi’s wondrous performance earned him the friendship of Barcelona’s star Ronaldinho, who enabled him to have a smooth transition into the first team. His remarkable antics earned him a juicy contract in 2004 set to expire in 2012, the first professional contract he signed, had a buyout clause of 30 million euros which increased to 80 million euros.

In the 2004–2005 season, he became a regular starter in Barcelona’s B-team. However, he was a substitute player in the A-team, debuting for them in the league on October 16 against Espanyol. Messi signed a new contract with Barcelona as a senior team player on his 18th birthday. The contract was set to expire in 2010, with a buyout clause of 150 million euros. Messi caught the attention of European top clubs, one of such Inter Milan indicated interest in Messi, offering to triple his wages as well as pay his 150 million euros’ buyout clause. However, Messi opted to stay. In September of that season, his contract was updated and was set to expire in 2014. After acquiring Spanish citizenship Messi began playing alongside Samuel Eto’o and Ronaldinho forging a powerful attacking trio.

During the 2006–2007 season, at the age of 19, Messi became one of the best players in the world. Despite suffering injuries, Messi proved his similarity to Argentina’s legend Diego Maradona after several comparisons. A notable event which speaks of this truth was the 2006–2007 Copa del Rey semi-final against Getafe, where he scored a goal similar to Maradona’s 1986 FIFA World Cup goal dubbed as the Goal of the Century. Following the decline of Ronaldinho, Messi became Barcelona’s new star, with Spanish media calling him “Messiah”. He emerged second third in the 2007 Ballon d’Or and second in the FIFA World Player of the Year Award. Following the departure of Ronaldinho, Messi was given the no.10 jersey and signed a new contract with an annual salary of 7.8 million euros, Barcelona’s highest.

In 2008, he came second in the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year Award.

He However won the Ballon d’Or and FIFA Player of the year in 2009, at the age of 22. That season Messi had a successful campaign, winning the second consecutive La Liga title.

In 2010, Messi won the inaugural FIFA Ballon d’Or despite his failure at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Messi finished the 2010–2011 season as Barcelona’s all-time single-season highest scorer and the first player in Spain to pass the 50-goal benchmark. Thanks to his wonderful performance, Messi created a reputation for himself as a creator (no. 8), a scorer (no. 9) and an assistant (no. 10). He received the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or award as well as the inaugural UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. Due to his numerous achievements, Messi was regarded as one of the best in the history of the game.

Messi’s incredible form continued, in 2012, he was bestowed with the Guinness book of record title for most goals scored in a calendar year as well as the FIFA Ballon d’Or Award.

In the 2013–2014 season, Messi signed a new contract with Barcelona which will see him at Camp Nou until 2018. After Messi sustained an injury and deemed unfit for Barcelona’s champions league match against Bayern Munich, the Catalan Giant were defeated 7-0 on aggregate. Barcelona was heavily criticized for their dismal performance which shows their dependence on the Argentine star. His campaign that season was the worst he had in five years. He signed a new contract with Barcelona which saw his salary increase from 20 million euros to 36 million euros. Under the leadership of new coach, Luis Enrique. Messi became La Liga’s all-time top-scorer. He came second in the 2014 FIFA Ballon d’Or awards for the second time in a row. Messi established an attacking trio with teammates Suarez and Neymar which prove to be deadly to opponents. At the end of the season, he received the UEFA Best Player in Europe.

In the 2015–2016 season, Messi became the youngest person to make 100 appearances in the champions league. Messi also helped Barcelona claim the 2015 Club World Cup Final, where he was awarded the tournament’s Silver Ball. Messi emerged a runner-up to Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2016 Ballon d’Or award as well as the 2016 Best FIFA Men’s Player Award, he also claimed the Pichichi and European Golden Boot.

Messi also had a spectacular and incredible performance in the 2017–2018 season, but not spectacular enough to earn him the Ballon d’Or award. Messi was handed the captaincy in the 2018–2019 season following the departure of Andres Iniesta.

Lionel Messi National Team Career

The ace footballer has scored 65 goals in 128 appearances for the Argentina National team. He, however, has failed to extend his successful run with Barcelona to the La Albiceleste. Though he has always put up a good performance, every time he leads the La Albiceleste to a tournament, they end up crashing out in the quarter-final, semi-final or final.

In the 2006 World Cup, Messi who was pretty young was part of the Argentine squad who were knocked out in the quarter-final. Eight years later, on South-American soil, Messi led the La Albiceleste to a wonderful run in the world Cup before seeing his World Cup dream dashed after a late lone strike by their German opponents. The Copa America tournament has also been the same, emerging runners-up successively.

Lionel Messi Family & Personal Life

Lionel Messi is known to be an introvert as well as a reserved individual.

He began his relationship with his wife who he had known since the age of 5, at the age of 20. They got married in Rosario, in 2017. They gave birth to their first son Thiago in 2012, their second Mateo in 2015 and last Ciro in 2018.

Messi has a tight-knitted relationship with his mother, Celia whose face he tattooed on his hand. Messi’s father has been his agent since the age of 14, while his elder brother manages his daily schedule and publicity, his mother and brother, Matias runs his charitable organization, The Lionel Messi Foundation. Since 2010, Messi has been a goodwill ambassador for the UNICEF.

Messi also supports grassroots football. He has an investment with youth football team Sarmiento, based in Rosario.

Messi has also had his fair share of tax evasion charges. In 2013, he was investigated for benefiting in a network of offshore companies to evade taxes. Despite pleading ignorance for the tax evasion charges, Messi was found guilty of tax evasion along with his father and was sentenced to a suspended 21-month prison term and fined 1.7 million euros and 1.4 million euros.

Lionel Messi Highlights, Achievements & Awards

Tournaments won.

• U-20 World Cup champion (2005)
• Spanish Super Cup (Supercopa) (2005/06, 2006/07, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2013/14, 2016/17, 2018/19)
• Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey) (2008/09, 2011/12, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17,2017/18)
• FIFA Club World Cup (2009, 2011, 2015)
• UEFA Supercup (2009/10, 2011/12, 2015/16)
• Olympics Medalist (2008/09)
• Spanish Champion (La Liga) (2004/05 2005/06, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/13, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2017/18)
• UEFA Champions League (2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2014/15)

Individual Awards

• Golden Boot (2016/17)
• Striker of the Year (2014/15)
• Player of the Year (2014 World Cup, 2014/15 La Liga, 2015 Copa America)
• UEFA Best Player in Europe (2009, 2011, 2015)
• Top-scorer (2008/09, 2010/11 & 2013/14 Copa del Rey, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2013/14 & 2014/15 UEFA Champions League, 2009/10, 2010/11 & 2011/12 Supercopa, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13 & 2016/17 La Liga, 2011 FIFA Club World Cup)
• Top-10 Highest-Paid Football/Soccer Players 2019
• Top-20 Best Football Academies In The World 2019

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Lionel Messi is in the Spanish Dictionary but what does it mean?

Lionel Messi’s CV might be the most extensive any footballer could ever have.

Aside his individual and club honours, Messi has a number of sponsorships and endorsements that made him one of the highest-earning players in the world.

It’s not just in sports and finances where Messi has made a name for himself. Amazingly, he also has a place in Spanish literary works, having an adjective dedicated to him.

The word “inmessionante” was actually added to the dictionary back in 2013.

It has two applications; referring to “the perfect way to play football, an unlimited ability to self-improve,” and it also “describes the best player of all time”

Messi’s place in Spanish literature might be assured but he’s not the first footballer to have their name put in their local dictionary.

Swedish striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is revered in his home country and has his own verb in the Swedish dictionary – “zlatanera”, which translates as “to Zlatan” and means “to dominate”.

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Lionel Messi Is Actually A Word In The Spanish Dictionary

Of course he is..

Jack Kenmare

Lionel Messi, one of the greatest footballers of all time, has his very own adjective in the Spanish dictionairy.

Since bursting onto the scene in 2003, La Pulga has enjoyed a trophy-laden career, picking up five Ballon d'O r's, four Champions League 's and ten La Liga title's.

Breaking countless records including most goals in La Liga [444], most hat-tricks in the Champions League [8] and most goals scored in a calendar year [91], the 33-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down.

In fact, some might say the 704-goal machine is in a league of his own -- step forward the person who is in charge of the Spanish dictionary,

The word "inmessionante" was dedicated to Messi back in 2013. So, what does it mean?

1.) The perfect way to play football, an unlimited ability to self-improve.

2.) Describes the best player of all time.

The debate as to whether Messi is the greatest of all time will bubble on forever.

But according to SPORTbible's audience , the Barcelona and Argentina forward is in fact the GOAT, beating the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele and Diego Maradona to the prestigious title.

In a four way Twitter poll, a massive 26,104 people voted for their winner, with five-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi coming out on top with 44% of the vote.

Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo was a close second, receiving 36% of the vote, while Pele and Diego Maradona came in third and fourth with 15% and 5% of the vote respectively.

So, what does Messi think of the GOAT debate? The gifted forward from Rosario came up with the most humble response when asked about his legacy .

"In the end, everyone will remember and think of you what they want - and they're free to do so,"

Topics:  Football News , Football , Barcelona , Lionel Messi , Argentina , La Liga

Jack Kenmare is a writer at SPORTbible. He's interviewed some of the biggest names in sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pele, Carles Puyol and Tim Henman. He dabbles in all things sport but football is his biggest passion. He was once hit in the head by a wayward strike from Nicky Butt and lived to tell the tale.

@ jackkenmare_

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Lionel Messi y todas sus finales

A sus 35 años, Leo era campeón de todo menos el Mundial, con 22 victorias en sus 31 finales a único partido de su impresionante recorrido con el balón. Qatar 2022 además de la gloria eterna, le dio a Lionel Messi la posibilidad de subir un escalón más en esta faceta estadística.

Y Mesi fue y la ganó. Y además fue elegido MVP de la final y del torneo . Y entonces parecía que el final estaba escrito. Pero no, había más hilo en el ovillo y dijo presente en la Copa América .

Las frías cifras, ante un nuevo choque definitorio, dirán que el futbolista de 36 años jugó 22 finales a duelo único con Barcelona, 9 con la selección argentina, 1 con PSG y 1 con Inter Miami.Que el domingo jugará su décima final con la Selección y la 34 en su historia personal. Inigualable

Llegó a diez finales con Argentina, una locura

Messi puede decir que lo ganó todo con Argentina . Desde aquel 11 de julio de 2021, cuando ganó la Copa América a Brasil (1-0) en el estadio Maracaná , y rompió el "maleficio", todo se volvió mágico. Y después llegó la 'Finalissima' -el choque entre los campeones de Europa y América- en Wembley contra Italia, por 3-0.

Y el recuerdo doloroso de la Copa del Mundo, tan cerca en Brasil 2014, cuando cayó en la final ante Alemania , en la prórroga, por 1-0, terminó de sepultarse en Qatar, cuando finalmente pudo conocer cuánto pesa el tan ansiado trofeo mundialista .

Y también perdió tres encuentros decisivos de la Copa América. Antes del triunfo en 2021, la frustración lo persiguió en esa instancia, derrotado en dos ocasiones en los penales por Chile (2016 y 2015) y en otra goleada por Brasil (3-0 en 2007).

Como juvenil logró el Mundial Sub 20 con Argentina, el 21 de julio de 2005, con dos goles, los dos de su equipo, desde el punto de penal (2-1) frente a Nigeria, el mismo oponente al que doblegó en la final de los Juegos Olímpicos de 2008 por 0-1 para lograr la medalla de oro en Pekín.

Son 22 triunfos, 9 derrotas, 21 goles y 11 asistencias en ese tipo de duelos, el primero de todos el citado Mundial sub'20 de 2005, la más reciente la Supercopa de Francia con la que París Saint Germain goleó sin discusión a Nantes (4-0). Uno de los cuatro tantos llevó la firma del '10' argentino.

22 Finales con el Barcelona, con 17 victorias

Aparte de la Selección, sobre todo con el Barcelona , Messi ha jugado finales en todas las competiciones posibles, a la altura de la dimensión de su fútbol. "¿Si es el más grande de la historia? A veces parece que somos argentinos y pecamos un poco de egoísmo y porque es argentino es el mejor de la historia. Pero creo que no hay ninguna duda. Verlo es emocionante, porque cada vez que lo ves genera algo a sus compañeros, a la gente y no solo a los argentinos. Es una suerte y un privilegio que tenga puesta la celeste y blanca" , aseguró el martes Scaloni, que lo ha dirigido hacia la tan deseada final.

Con Barcelona, jugó tres finales de la UEFA Champions League , con otras tantas victorias: el 27 de mayo de 2009, por 2-0 al Manchester United , con un gol suyo; el 28 de mayo de 2011, por 3-1 también a ese rival , con otro tanto del atacante argentino, y el 6 de junio de 2015 con un 1-3 al Juventus , cuando dio uno de los goles de sus compañeros.

También ha ganado tres de sus cuatro Supercopas de Europa (el 11 de agosto de 2015 por 5-4 al Sevilla , con dos goles; el 27 de agosto de 2011 por 2-0 al Porto , con un tanto y un pase definitivo, y el 28 de agosto de 2009, con una asistencia en el 1-0 al Shakthar Donetsk ); una de las dos Supercopas de España a partido único ( 2-1 al Sevilla el 12 de agosto de 2018 ); las tres de Mundiales de Clubes, con cuatro goles ( 0-3 a River Plate en 2015 , 0-4 al Santos en 2011 y 0-2 a Estudiantes de La Plata en 2009 ) y siete de diez en la Copa del Rey española , con 9 goles y cinco asistencias en las filas del Barcelona.

También ganó la final de la Supercopa de Francia con el PSG, goleando a Nantes en la final, y la Leagues Cup con Inter Miami, tras vencer a Nashville SC por penales y conseguir el primer título de la historia para la franquicia .

Las 33 finales a partido único de Messi

(24 victorias, 9 derrotas, 24 goles y 11 asistencias).

- LAS 9 CON ARGENTINA:

2 del Mundial : Alemania 1 - Argentina 0 (13/07/2014). Argentina 3-Francia 3 (18/12/22, Argentina ganó la definición por penales 4 a 2), con dos goles de Messi.

4 de la Copa América: Brasil 3 - Argentina 0 (15/07/2007); Chile 0 (4) - Argentina 0 (1) (4/07/2015); Argentina 0 (2) - Chile 0 (4) (27/07/2016) y Argentina 1 - Brasil 0 (11/07/2021).

1 de la Finalissima : Argentina 3 - Italia 0 (1/06/2022), con 2 asistencias suyas.

1 de los Juegos Olímpicos: Nigeria 0 - Argentina 1 (23/08/2008).

1 del Mundial Sub 20: Argentina 2 - Nigeria 1 (21/07/2005), con dos goles de penal suyos.

- LAS 22 CON EL BARCELONA:

3 de la UEFA Champions League: Barcelona 2 - Manchester United 0 (27/05/2009), con 1 gol; Barcelona 1 - Manchester United 1 (28/05/2011), con 1 gol, y Juventus 1 - Barcelona 3 (6/06/2015), con 1 asistencia.

4 de la Supercopa de Europa: Barcelona 0 - Sevilla 3 (25(08/2006); Barcelona 1 - Shakthar Donetsk 0 (28/08/2009), con 1 asistencia; Barcelona 2 - Oporto 0 (26/08/2011), con 1 goles y 1 asistencia, y Barcelona 5 - Sevilla 4 (11/08/2015), con 2 goles.

10 de la Copa del Rey de España: Athletic 1 - Barcelona 4 (13/05/2009), con 1 gol; Barcelona 0 - Real Madrid 1 (20/04/2011); Athletic 0 - Barcelona 3 (25/05/2012), con 1 gol; Barcelona 1 - Real Madrid 2 (16/04/2014); Athletic 1 - Barcelona 3 (30/05/2015), con 2 goles; Barcelona 2 - Sevilla 0 (22/05/2016), con 2 asistencias; Barcelona 3 - Alavés 1 (27/05/2017), con 1 gol y 1 asistencia; Sevilla 0 - Barcelona 5 (21/04/2018), con 1 gol y 2 asistencias; Valencia 2 - Barcelona 1 (25/05/2019), con 1 gol; Athletic 0 - Barcelona 4 (17/04/2021), con 2 goles.

2 de la Supercopa de España a partido único: Barcelona 2 - Sevilla 1 (12/08/2018), con 1 asistencia, y Barcelona 2 - Athletic (17/01/2021).

3 del Mundial de Clubes: Estudiantes de La Plata 0 - Barcelona 2 (19/12/2009), con 1 gol; Santos 0 - Barcelona 4 (18/12/2011), con 2 goles y 1 asistencia, y River Plate 0 - Barcelona 3 (20/12/2015), con 1 gol.

- LA ÚNICA CON EL PARÍS SAINT GERMAIN :

1 Supercopa de Francia: París Saint Germain 4 - Nantes 0 (31/07/2022), con 1 gol.

-LA PRIMERA CON INTER MIAMI

1 Leagues Cup: Inter Miami 1- Nashville FC 1 (19/08/2023) 1 gol. La tanda de penales se definió 10 a 9 a favor del equipo de Florida.

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WATCH: Argentina players sing Lionel Messi-inspired chant after 2024 Copa America SF win over Canada

Argentina players celebrated their 2-0 2024 Copa America semi-final win over Canada on Tuesday (July 9) at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey by singing a Lionel Messi-inspired chant. Messi was one of the scorers in the win.

Julian Alvarez broke the deadlock in the 21st minute before La Pulga opened his account at the tournament six minutes into the second period to confirm the result. After reaching back-to-back Copa finals, La Albiceleste players celebrated a Messi chant (as translated from Spanish):

"Winning another cup with Leo is what imagine"

Here's the video:

Lionel Scaloni's side are now a win away from becoming the first repeat Copa champions since Chile - who crashed out in the group stage this year - went back-to-back in 2015-16. Incidentally, they beat La Albiceleste in both finals - both in shootouts.

Coming back to the current tournament, Argentina topped their group stage with three straight wins, beating Canada (2-0), Chile (1-0) and Peru (2-0). In the quarter-finals, Scaloni's side needed penalties (4-2) to see off Ecuardor after conceding a late equaliser, which forced a shootout.

How has Argentina captain Lionel Messi fared at 2024 Copa America?

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has a lukewarm 2024 Copa America campaign by his staggering standards. With his goal in the semi-final win over Canada, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has a goal and an assist in four games in the competition.

The lone assist came in the 2-0 group-stage win over Canada in their campaign opener before Messi drew blanks in the wins over Chile and Ecuador - where he missed his spot-kick in the shootout.

The 37-year-old, though, redeemed himself in the semi-final win over Canada as he moves to within one win of a fourth straight senior international title with the Albiceleste.

His three previous titles are the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 Finalissima and the biggest of them all - the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It's pertinent to note that Messi had won the men's football gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

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