biography of messi footballer

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 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 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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Leo Messi 's footballing career started in 1995 at Newell's Old Boys, where he played until the year 2000. At the age of 13, Lionel Messi crossed the Atlantic to try his luck in Barcelona, and joined the Under 14s. Messi made spectacular progress at each of the different age levels, climbing through the ranks to Barça C, followed by Barça B and the first team in record time.

From a young age Messi stood out due to his vision and his goalscoring ability, especially with his left foot, an endless source of magical inspiration. 

In the 2003-2004 season, when he was still only 16, Messi made his first team debut in a friendly with Porto that marked the opening of the new Do Dragao stadium.

The following championship-winning season, Messi made his first appearance in an official match on October 16, 2004, in Barcelona's derby win against Espanyol at the Olympic Stadium (0-1). 

That very season Messi became a regular member of Frank Rijkaard's first team squad. However, it was in the 2005/06 campaign that the Argentine really came to centre stage as he helped the team to their second Champions League victory and their 18th league title. With the departure of Ronaldinho in 2008, Messi became the focal point of the Barça forward line. 

Getting better every season, Messi and Barça won 35 trophies during the Argentine's time at the Club, including the six won in 2009 and the treble in 2015. 

Leo Messi and the treble trophies from 2009: Copa del Rey, Champions League and Liga

Messi’s individual achievements are also unprecedented: six Ballon d’Or awards, six times Champions League top scorer, six times Golden Shoe winner, eight times ‘Pichichi’ (top scorer) in La Liga, Ballon d’Or winner at the 2014 World Cup, FIFA World Player of the Year in 2009 and FIFA The Best winner in 2019. 

On an individual level Messi began to set records as a youngster and never looked back. The Argentine has made more appearances than anyone, 778, scored more goals, 672, provided most assists, 305 and won most trophies, 35. 

Other records included 91 goals in a calendar year, beating Gerd Müller's record from 1972 as well as surpassing Pelé's record for one club total of 643 goals.  

With the Argentina national side Messi played in four World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018) as a Barça player, losing in the final in 2014 in Brazil against Germany. He has also played in six Copa Américas (2007, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021), losing in the final in both 2015 and 2016 to Chile on penalties before finally claiming a major honour for his country with the win over Brazil in the 2021 final. In the summer of 2008 he also played at the Beijing Olympics, and came home with a gold medal.

In the summer of 2021 the love affair between FC Barcelona and Leo Messi came to an end and the Barça number 10 brought an end to his career which has been him become a life long legend for FC Barcelona. 

• Seasons at the Club: 2003-2021
• Appearances: 778

Honours with FC Barcelona

• 3 FIFA Club World Cups (2009, 2011, 2015)
• 4 UEFA Champions League (2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2014/15)
• 3 UEFA Super Cups (2009/10, 2011/12, 2015/16)
• 10 Spanish leagues (2004/05, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/13, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2017/18, 2018/19)
• 7 Copas del Rey (2008/09, 2011/12, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2020/2021)
• 8 Spanish Super Cups (2005/06, 2006/07, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2013/14, 2016/17, 2018/19)
• 4 Catalan Cup (2004-05, 2006-07, 2012-13, 2013-14)
• 2 Catalan Supercup (2014-15, 2017-18)

Honours with Argentina

• 1 Olympic gold (2008)
• 1 Copa América (2021)

Individual awards

• 1 Laureus (2020)
• 1 FIFA World Player (2009)
• 1 The Best FIFA Football Award (2019)
• 2 UEFA Player of the Year (2010/11, 2014/15)
• 1 World Soccer Award Best Player (2015)
• 6 Ballons d'Or (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019)
• 4 Golden XI (2009, 2011, 2012, 2018)
• 6 Golden Shoe (2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19)
• 8 La Liga top scorer (2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21)
• 6 Top scorer UEFA Champions League (2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12 i 2018/19)
• 9 MVP LaLiga (2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2014/15, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19)
• 1 Golden Boy (2005)
• 1 Bravo Trophy (2007)

Most important individual records 

• Only player to win Ballon d’Or, FIFA World Player, La Liga top scorer and Golden Shoe in same season (2009/10)
• Player with most Ballons d'Or 
• Player with most Golden Shoes
• Player with most Pichichi Trophies
• Top goalscorer in a season in official competition (73 goals in 2011/12)
• Top goalscorer in calendar year (91 goals in 2012)
• Top goalscorer at one club Club (672 goals)
• Longest scoring streak in La Liga (33 goals in 21 consecutive matches 2012/13)
• Player with most matches  for Argentina
• All time top goalscorer in La Liga (474 goals in 520 matches)
• Top goalscorer in a single La Liga season (50 goals in 2011/12)
• Player with most hat-tricks in La Liga (36)
• Player with most goals form a free kick in La Liga (39 goals)
• Player with most wins in official competition (542 wins in 771 matches)
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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 has been 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 Barca 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 won the Golden Ball , awarded to the competition's best player. He was also part of the team that won Olympic gold at the Beijing 2008 Games, which remains one of his most treasured career highlights.

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Lionel Messi Biography – Childhood, Parents, Family [2024]

This article, a deep-dive into Lionel Messi’s Biography, provides an insightful overview of his childhood days to his rise to global fame, his early years, Parents – father, Jorge Horacio Messi; mother, Celia María Cuccittini, Siblings –  Rodrigo and Matias (brothers), sister, Maria Sol Messi.

Our Lionel Messi Biography brings to light the story of his life, capturing details from his childhood days to his rise to global fame.

We chart the pivotal moments in Messi’s life, offering you a rich narrative of his journey from a young boy to a football icon.

Here is a visual summary, a snapshot of Lionel Messi’s life, encapsulating his journey from a tender age to his ascent into the pantheon of football greats.

Fans often debate over who deserves the title of the greatest of all time (GOAT) in football, frequently comparing Messi with the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo .

Despite his storied career, many enthusiasts have yet to explore a condensed biography of Lionel Messi. We have meticulously prepared just that for you. Now, let’s delve into the life of the football maestro.

The Beginning of Lionel Messi’s Story:

Known affectionately as the GOAT in football circles, Lionel Messi, the son of Jorge and Celia was born on June 24th in the year 1987. His birthplace is the bustling city of Rosario, Argentina, where he was welcomed into the world by his mother, Celia María Cuccittini, and father, Jorge Horacio Messi.

Lionel is the third child among four siblings in the Messi household. His father managed a steel factory while his mother contributed to the family income through employment at a magnet manufacturing workshop.

Messi’s childhood unfolded in Rosario, the principal city of the Santa Fe province in central Argentina. Here, he nurtured his passion for football, spending much of his time with his three siblings.

His family tree includes his oldest brother Rodrigo, his second older brother Matias, and his beloved younger sister, Maria Sol Messi.

Lionel Messi Family Background:

Lionel Messi’s familial roots are deeply embedded in a home that cherished the game of football. His parents, Jorge and Celia María, experienced the harsh economic realities of the late 1980s, a period marked by financial hardship in Argentina.

Just a few years after Messi’s birth, Argentina faced a dire economic situation, teetering on the edge of collapse due to the nation’s debt crisis.

This led to severe hyperinflation, a sharp devaluation of the Argentine Peso, and widespread social unrest. Messi’s family, like many others in the middle-class segment of Argentine society, were significantly affected by this turmoil, facing employment challenges along with an estimated three million fellow Argentines.

Tracing Lionel Messi’s Ancestry:

Lionel Messi’s ancestry reveals a predominantly European heritage. He is affectionately known as the ‘Atomic Flea,’ a nickname that belies the fact that his familial origins span across continents, but not primarily from Argentina.

On his father’s side, Messi’s lineage is a blend of Italian and Spanish bloodlines. His paternal grandparents, Rosa Maria Pérez and Eusebio Messi, emigrated to Argentina, bringing with them their heritage from Italy’s Adriatic Marche region and the cultural-rich lands of Catalonia.

From his mother’s lineage, Messi inherits purely Italian roots, courtesy of his maternal grandparents, Antonio and Celia Oliveira Cuccittini, who also made the voyage to Argentina, further enriching the future football star’s European ties.

Lionel Messi’s Football Journey: From Early Beginnings to Stardom

Immersed in a family with a fervent love for football, Lionel Messi, affectionately dubbed “La Pulga” due to his small yet swift nature, showed a deep passion for the sport early on. His boyhood years were marked by many countless hours spent playing football with his elder brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, as well as his cousins Maximiliano and Emanuel Biancucchi, both of whom would later forge their own paths in professional football.

The Discovery of Messi’s Gift:

Messi’s affinity for the beautiful game was evident when he was just four years old. His grandmother, Celia Oliveira Cuccittini, recognized a preternatural talent in him that surpassed the early teachings of his brothers. Celia became the driving force behind his nascent football journey, convinced that young Lionel was destined for greatness.

Celia Oliveira Cuccittini not only encouraged Messi’s ambition but also became instrumental in his developmental years. She ensured he attended his first football training sessions with Grandoli, a local club, and even prompted his parents to invest in his first football boots. Her belief in him was profound, often cheering him on with prophetic confidence that he was meant to be the world’s greatest football player.

The Moment of Discovery at Grandoli:

A pivotal moment unfolded during a match attended by Messi’s family, where Lionel, usually sidelined to watch his older siblings play, found an unexpected opportunity. The team was short of a player, and the coach, Salvador Aparicio, invited a young, unassuming Messi to fill the gap and play alongside older, larger boys.

Initially hesitant, Messi’s parents encouraged him to seize the moment. Once on the pitch, his initial timidity quickly dissolved. On his second touch of the ball, he mesmerized onlookers by weaving through his opponents with ease, showcasing an innate talent for dribbling that left even his own brothers in his wake.

This display of raw skill secured Messi’s place on Salvador Aparicio’s team. Under the tutelage of his first coach, Messi became a pivotal figure in the team’s triumphs, culminating in his first taste of silverware — a trophy that heralded the start of an extraordinary football saga for the boy who would become known as the Atomic Flea.

Lionel Messi’s Beginnings at Newell’s Old Boys:

Lionel Messi, from his earliest days at Newell’s Old Boys, was often spoken of as possessing almost magical football talent. Recognizing his extraordinary abilities, his first coach, Aparicio, pledged to help transition Messi to a premier academy to realize his immense potential.

During these formative years, Lionel’s father, Jorge, stepped up to train his son, not only to foster his burgeoning skills but also to offer fatherly guidance and support. As fervent fans of Newell’s Old Boys, Messi’s entire family rallied behind him, and he became part of the club from his hometown of Rosario at the age of six.

However, as Lionel was finding his footing at Newell’s, he faced a personal setback: the death of his grandmother Celia Oliveira Cuccittini, the very person who first recognized his potential in football.

The Impact of His Grandmother’s Passing:

The loss of his grandmother was a difficult emotional burden for young Messi. Celia had been instrumental in encouraging his initial steps onto the football field. To honor her memory and her belief in his destiny, Messi began his poignant goal celebration, looking and pointing to the heavens as a gesture of remembrance and gratitude.

Throughout his six-year spell at Newell’s, Messi’s goal tally was nothing short of extraordinary, scoring close to 500 goals. He was an integral part of an exceptional youth team, affectionately dubbed “The Machine of ‘87” after their birth year, known for their dominance on the field and their entertaining ball tricks that wowed spectators during half-time at senior team matches.

The unity and spirit of “The Machine of ‘87” endures to this day. The team members remain connected, sharing a WhatsApp group where Messi is seen as the inspirational figure he has always been, reflecting the leadership and camaraderie that began on the pitches of their youth.

Lionel Messi’s Growth Hormone Deficiency:

The period following the death of his beloved grandmother was challenging for Lionel Messi in more ways than one. His physical growth had inexplicably stalled, causing concern among his family and coaches at Newell’s Old Boys. He was noticeably smaller than his peers, a difference that became increasingly pronounced as they grew taller.

It wasn’t long before medical professionals identified the root of the issue: Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, a condition hindering his growth. The cost of treatment was prohibitive; the growth hormone therapy required was expensive, with estimates of about $1,000 per month, and Jorge Messi’s insurance would only cover a fraction of the costs for a limited two-year period.

Newell’s initial commitment to financially support Messi’s treatment unfortunately fell through, leaving the family in a precarious position.

At this critical juncture, Messi’s paternal grandparents, Eusebio and Rosa, who resided in Catalonia, intervened. They sought to find a solution and ultimately played a pivotal role in facilitating their grandson’s treatment through FC Barcelona.

Lionel Messi’s Journey to FC Barcelona:

The efforts of Messi’s grandparents to secure a future for him at FC Barcelona were driven by their belief in his extraordinary talent, which they likened to that of the great Diego Maradona.

Initially, the club’s director, Charly Rexach, was eager to bring Messi into Barça’s fold, but was met with resistance from the board, partly because of regulations that restricted the signing of young players from outside the European Union.

The Napkin Contract:

The turning point came with a bold gesture on 14 December 2000. Facing an ultimatum from Newell’s Old Boys, which threatened to withdraw Messi from consideration if Barcelona didn’t act promptly, Rexach found himself under pressure to formalize an agreement without delay. In the absence of official paperwork and racing against time, Rexach resorted to writing Messi’s contract on a napkin, a makeshift yet momentous document that marked the beginning of Lionel Messi’s path to football stardom with FC Barcelona.

Relocation to Spain and Initial Challenges:

In February 2001, Lionel Messi’s family made the momentous decision to relocate from Argentina to Spain. They settled into an apartment within the vicinity of Barcelona’s famed Camp Nou stadium. However, Messi’s integration into his new environment was fraught with challenges.

Due to a contentious transfer disagreement between his Argentine club, Newell’s Old Boys, and FC Barcelona, Messi was relegated to participating only in friendly matches and the local Catalan league during his first year. This limited exposure to competitive play made it difficult for him to fully integrate into the team.

Moreover, Messi’s naturally introverted disposition led many of his teammates to mistake him for a recluse, as he seldom spoke and kept to himself.

As his family members began to return to Argentina, leaving only Lionel and his father in Spain, the young talent faced the emotional turmoil of homesickness. His mother and siblings moved back to Rosario, which heightened his sense of isolation.

It was not until February 2002 that Messi received clearance to join the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and participate fully in all its competitions. Through his involvement, he was able to forge friendships with fellow teammates, notably Cesc Fàbregas and Gerard Piqué, which aided his social and professional integration into the sport in Spain.

End of Medical Treatment and Decision to Stay with Barcelona:

Messi concluded his growth hormone treatments at the age of 14. His football skills began to flourish, and he quickly became a standout player in Barcelona’s esteemed youth academy, often referred to as the “Baby Dream Team.”

Around this time, Messi was also presented with an opportunity to move to Arsenal. However, despite his friends Fàbregas and Piqué moving to England to join Arsenal and Manchester United respectively, Messi made the pivotal decision to stay with Barcelona.

Rise to Prominence and International Recognition:

Messi’s talent was recognized on the world stage in 2005 when he made an indelible impression at the FIFA World Youth Championship. His extraordinary performance earned him the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe awards. The crowning achievement of this period was helping Argentina win the gold medal at the Olympics, an early indication of the remarkable legacy he would go on to build in the world of football.

Rising Through Barcelona’s Ranks and Establishing Dominance:

Lionel Messi’s ascendancy within the ranks of FC Barcelona was meteoric. Under the guidance of then-coach Frank Rijkaard, Messi began to make regular appearances with the senior team, showcasing his burgeoning talent. It was during this period that he formed a close bond with Ronaldinho, the Brazilian icon, who took Messi under his wing, affectionately referring to him as “little brother,” which greatly facilitated his integration among other football heavyweights like Samuel Eto’o.

Messi’s debut for Barcelona’s first team came during a friendly against a side managed by José Mourinho, FC Porto. His performance during this match caught the attention of the football world, earning him laudatory reviews from both journalists and fans. This marked the beginning of a series of triumphs that would lead him to accumulate over 34 trophies with the Catalan club.

Messi’s brilliance on the field has been recognized multiple times, as evidenced by his record six World Player of the Year awards. Partnering with the likes of Kylian Mbappe , the great Neymar Jr and Luis Suarez , his extraordinary accomplishments, memorable performances, a myriad of titles, and sheer goal-scoring prowess have solidified his reputation as the greatest of all time (GOAT) in football. Alongside Alexia Putellas , he is celebrated for holding the most Ballon d’Or awards while donning a Barcelona jersey.

Indeed, Messi’s legacy in football is irreplaceable, and his story is etched in history.

The Love Story of Lionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo:

Messi’s romantic journey with Antonela Roccuzzo reads like a fairytale, rooted in their shared childhood in Rosario. Their paths crossed through Lionel’s friend and Antonela’s cousin, Lucas Scaglia, who also pursued a career in football.

It was on the sandy stretches of Rosario Beach in 1992 that Messi first encountered the one who would become his future partner. Even at such a tender age, there was an undeniable connection between them, leading to a childhood promise of future companionship.

Messi, ever the romantic even at nine years old, penned a letter to eight-year-old Antonela, boldly declaring his affections with the words, “One day, you and I will be boyfriend and girlfriend.” This innocent proclamation would eventually manifest into a lifelong bond.

The Untold Chapter of Antonela Roccuzzo’s Early Relationship:

Despite widespread belief, Lionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo weren’t uninterrupted childhood sweethearts—distance once came between them. During Messi’s treatment for his growth hormone deficiency in Spain, their connection was severed. As Messi’s family relocated to Spain for his treatment and football career, the distance strained their relationship to the point of breaking.

During this time apart, Antonela began a relationship with another young man back in Rosario. However, after seven years in Spain, Messi reached out to rekindle the romance with his erstwhile companion, Antonela, who by then had ended her interim relationship.

Messi and Antonela’s love story truly reignited in 2007, marking the beginning of a more serious and committed relationship. Antonela’s former boyfriend, left in the wake of their rekindled romance, addressed his feelings in a remarkably sportsmanlike manner, expressing to a local newspaper that he was glad she left him for someone as exceptional as Messi.

In 2017, Messi and Antonela’s relationship culminated in a grand wedding in Rosario, attended by their closest 260 relatives and friends. Now parents to three sons—Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro—Messi’s life epitomizes that of a devoted family man.

Lionel Messi’s Personal Haven:

Far removed from the clamor of fame, Messi is a person of sensitivity and a lover of tranquility. Lionel Messi’s website is messi.com. Preferring the stillness of nature, he resides in a forested enclave away from Barcelona’s hustle and bustle. In pursuit of peace, he has gone to great lengths, including purchasing the properties surrounding his home to prevent noise intrusion, as disclosed by his former teammate Ivan Rakitic.

In an exceptional move underlining his need for serenity, Messi engaged in a dispute with Barcelona-El Prat airport to reroute their flight paths to preserve the quietude of his siestas, preventing aircraft from disrupting the calm above his residence—a unique arrangement not afforded to any other location.

Lastly, Messi’s zodiac sign is Cancer, a trait he shares with other footballers such as Federico Valverde, a Uruguayan midfielder; Mikel Merino , & Alex Baena (Spanish midfielders); Jarrad Branthwaite , an English defender; Son Heung-min , a South Korean winger; Vinicius Junior , a Brazilian winger; and Lamine Yamal , a Spanish winger. Typically, individuals born under the Cancer sign are recognized for their strong intuition and imaginative dreaming. They are often generous and protective, especially when it comes to their families, among other traits.

Lifestyle Overview:

Off the soccer field, Lionel Messi is known for his devotion to his family. He exemplifies a modest and private lifestyle, favoring quiet moments at home with his wife, children, and beloved dog. Messi’s investments reflect his earnings, with significant expenditures on real estate and a collection of luxury vehicles.

Among Messi’s impressive fleet of cars are an Audi Q7 priced at approximately €69,000, a Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti with an estimated value of €32 million, and a Maserati GranTurismo costing around €90,000.

Family Roots and Bonds:

Despite his global fame, Messi’s heart remains tied to Rosario, his Argentinian hometown. He has preserved his local accent as a badge of his roots and holds onto his family’s old homes, symbolizing his humble origins and sentimental values.

Delving into Messi’s Family:

Jorge Horácio Messi, Lionel’s father, originally managed a steel factory when Messi was a child. With a vision for his son’s talent, he transitioned from his job to coaching Messi at just four years old at their local club, Grandoli.

Over the years, Jorge Horácio has been a constant support to his son, navigating his career from grassroots to global stardom. Today, he serves as Lionel Messi’s agent, a role he has adeptly managed for many years.

During a tumultuous period following the appointment of Ronald Koeman at FC Barcelona, it was Jorge who counseled Lionel to remain with the club to avoid legal conflicts.

Managing his son’s professional affairs is just one aspect of Jorge Horácio’s life; he is also noted to be divorced from Lionel’s mother, Celia Cuccittini.

Lionel Messi’s Maternal Figure:

Celia María Cuccittini, Lionel Messi’s mother, was once employed as a cleaner working part-time. In the current day, she dedicates herself to overseeing her son’s personal commitments and spearheading the Messi family’s philanthropic foundation.

Messi shares a profound bond with his mother, as evidenced by the tattoo of her likeness on his left shoulder, a permanent tribute to their relationship.

Controversy at Messi’s Wedding:

Celia María sparked a dispute when she attended her son’s wedding clad in a white dress, traditionally reserved for the bride, in this case, Antonella Roccuzzo. Such an action is considered a serious breach of wedding etiquette in Argentine culture.

Despite the dress code for the event being explicitly coloured, Celia María’s choice to wear white caused a rift, resulting in a period of non-communication between the families of Antonella Roccuzzo and Lionel Messi.

Rodrigo Messi, The Eldest Brother:

Rodrigo Messi, born on February 10, 1980, stands as the oldest of the Messi siblings, 8 years senior to Lionel. He is involved in overseeing portions of Lionel’s business affairs, specifically handling his schedule and publicity matters.

Matias Messi, The Second Eldest:

Matias Messi, also born on February 10, 1980, shares his brother Rodrigo’s birthdate and plays a role in managing the Messi Foundation alongside their mother, Celia María.

Furthermore, has had his share of public scrutiny, having been convicted in 2016 for illegal possession of a firearm. His sentence was community service, specifically teaching football in their hometown for one year.

Maria Sol Messi, The Youngest Sister:

Maria Sol is the youngest sibling and only sister in the Messi family. She was doted on by her brothers growing up and manages a retail store associated with Lionel Messi.

One notable familial event was when Lionel surprised her by dancing at her fifteenth birthday celebration, a rare sight for the usually reserved football star.

Messi’s Extended Family Ties:

Genealogy studies, such as the one by Diari Segre in 2011, have revealed an interesting family connection; Bojan Krkić, Messi’s former teammate, is his fourth cousin. Other cousins include professional footballers Emanuel Biancucchi and Maxi Biancucchi.

Messi’s family circle also comprises Aunts Marcela Cuccittini Biancucchi, Gladis Messi, and Susanna Messi, as well as nephews Augustine Messi, Morena Messi, Benjamin Messi, and Thomas Messi, expanding the family tree within the world of football.

Lionel Messi’s Ancestry:

On his father’s side, Lionel Messi’s grandparents are Rosa Maria Pérez, his paternal grandmother, and Eusebio Messi, his paternal grandfather.

His maternal lineage includes Antonio Cuccittini as his maternal grandfather and Celia Oliveira Cuccittini as his maternal grandmother.

Great Grandparents of Lionel Messi:

Tracing further back, the family tree on his mother’s side features Jose Perez Sole as Messi’s great grandfather. On the paternal side, Aniceto Messi stands as his great grandfather, the patriarch who was Eusebio Messi’s father (Jorge Messi’s father). Aniceto was married to Rosa Perez, who is Lionel Messi’s great grandmother.

Insights into Lionel Messi:

In concluding this narrative, let’s delve into lesser-known aspects of Messi’s life, offering a clearer perspective on the soccer maestro.

Income Facts:

It is a startling fact that an average Spanish citizen with an annual income of €23,000 would have to work non-stop for three and a half years to earn what Messi does in a single day. Studies indicate that in the previous two seasons, his annual pre-tax earnings at Paris Saint-Germain were approximately $70 million. In the 2023/2024 season, Lionel Messi was said to receive a base salary of $12 million and an additional $20.4 million in guaranteed compensation, positioning him as the top earner in Major League Soccer. Lastly,  Messi’s Forbes profile reveals he was the second World’s Highest-Paid Athlete in 2023.

Lionel Messi’s Tattoo Significance:

The portrait of his mother, Celia, graces his left shoulder blade, signifying the special place she holds in his heart. An arm tattoo featuring a lotus flower symbolizes Messi’s journey from humble origins to international stardom, representing the possibility of greatness emerging from adversity. On his left leg, the imprint of his son Thiago’s hands is inked, accompanied by Thiago’s name and the iconic jersey number ’10’ that Messi adorns. The right leg, just above the ankle, bears the inscribed names and birthdates of his three sons: Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro, marking his everlasting devotion to his children.

Lionel Messi’s Spiritual Beliefs:

Inked near his shoulder is a depiction of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns, a personal testament to Messi’s faith. This artwork suggests that he was brought up in the Christian tradition, which he continues to observe.

Nicknames of Lionel Messi:

Lionel Messi, known as “La Pulga” in Spanish, has earned this nickname due to his remarkable agility and ability to ‘bug’ defenders, much like a flea does, especially noting his relatively short stature. “The Greatest Of All Time” or simply “GOAT” is another title bestowed upon Messi by fans who believe his skills and accomplishments place him at the very summit of football’s history. “La Pulga Atómica,” translating to “The Atomic Flea,” is a spin on his original nickname, emphasizing his explosive speed and agility which allow him to navigate through defenders with ease.

Lionel Messi’s Pet Dog:

In 2016, Messi’s partner, Antonela Roccuzzo, gifted him a Dogue de Bordeaux named Hulk, a breed renowned for its large and muscular stature. Over the course of three years, Hulk grew to become a sizable and strong pet, reflecting the physicality of his name. Messi shares his preference for large dog breeds with the Portuguese footballer William Carvalho.

Areas for Improvement in Lionel Messi’s Game:

Even as one of the most celebrated players in football, Lionel Messi’s game isn’t flawless. Throughout his career, it has been noted that he could improve in areas such as defensive aggression and intercepting the ball.

Closing Reflections:

Lionel Messi’s ascent from a young boy facing health challenges to a global football icon is a compelling narrative of perseverance and the pursuit of excellence. His story underscores the importance of persistence through adversity, exemplified by his family’s commitment, especially during his battle with a growth hormone deficiency.

His father, Jorge Horácio, played a pivotal role in his development, while his brothers, Rodrigo and Matias, were early football influences. Messi’s sister, Maria Sol, alongside his mother, Celia María Cuccittini, have also made sacrifices for his success.

Messi’s partner, Antonela Roccuzzo, has been a pillar of support, helping him build a family with their three sons and their dog, Hulk. As of the last biography update, Messi celebrated a notable triumph with Argentina, capturing the 2021 COPA America title and securing a top scorer position alongside Luis Diaz .

Thank you for your attention to Lionel Messi’s biography. If you spot any inaccuracies or wish to share your thoughts on the football legend, please leave a comment. Keep an eye on our website for more captivating stories about soccer players. You won’t want to miss our upcoming articles on Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez , which are sure to intrigue you.

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Culture History

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Born on June 24, 1987, Messi spent the majority of his career with Barcelona, where he became the club’s all-time leading scorer. Known for his incredible dribbling skills, precise finishing, and playmaking ability, Messi has won numerous awards, including multiple FIFA Ballon d’Or titles. In August 2021, he joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) after leaving Barcelona due to financial constraints faced by the club.

Growing up in a modest household in the blue-collar neighborhood of La Bajada in Rosario, Messi showed an early affinity for football. His father, Jorge Messi, worked at a steel factory, and his mother, Celia Cuccittini, worked part-time as a cleaner. Lionel Messi’s upbringing was marked by the close-knit support of his tight-knit family.

Messi’s talent became apparent at a young age when he joined the local club, Newell’s Old Boys, at the age of six. His prodigious skills on the ball immediately caught the attention of coaches and spectators alike. However, Messi’s early years were not without challenges. At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, a condition that stunted his physical development. To afford the necessary medical treatment, Messi’s family sought assistance from Barcelona, who expressed interest in the young prodigy.

In 2000, Messi and his family made the life-altering decision to move to Barcelona, where he joined the youth academy, La Masia. The relocation meant separation from his family and the familiar surroundings of Rosario, but it was a pivotal moment that would shape Messi’s destiny. At La Masia, under the guidance of coaches like Frank Rijkaard, Messi’s talent blossomed, and he quickly rose through the ranks of Barcelona’s youth system.

Messi made his first-team debut for Barcelona in 2004 at the age of 17, becoming the youngest player to represent the club in an official competition. His early performances hinted at the extraordinary talent that would soon captivate the football world. Messi’s playing style was characterized by an unparalleled combination of speed, agility, close ball control, and an uncanny ability to navigate through defenses.

As Messi continued to impress, it became evident that he was destined for greatness. In the 2006-2007 season, Messi’s impact on Barcelona’s success became more pronounced. He played a crucial role in Barcelona winning the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League, marking the beginning of a trophy-laden era for both Messi and the club.

Messi’s partnership with Ronaldinho, another footballing icon, during the mid-2000s was instrumental in Barcelona’s success. The Brazilian forward passed the torch to Messi, recognizing his extraordinary talent. Messi’s prolific goal-scoring, playmaking abilities, and mesmerizing dribbles established him as the team’s talisman.

The 2008-2009 season was a watershed moment in Messi’s career. Under the management of Pep Guardiola, Barcelona achieved unprecedented success. Messi’s performances were nothing short of spectacular, as he led the team to a historic treble, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League. Individually, Messi was awarded his first Ballon d’Or, recognizing him as the world’s best player.

Messi’s remarkable consistency continued in the subsequent years. He went on to win four more Ballon d’Or awards consecutively from 2009 to 2012, solidifying his status as the preeminent footballer of his generation. His goal-scoring exploits reached extraordinary levels, and his partnership with teammates such as Xavi Hernandez and Andrés Iniesta in Barcelona’s midfield became legendary.

The 2010-2011 season showcased Messi’s evolution as a complete player. He not only scored goals with astonishing frequency but also became a prolific playmaker, contributing significantly to Barcelona’s attacking prowess. His ability to create chances for his teammates added a new dimension to his game, making him an even more formidable force on the pitch.

Barcelona’s dominance in domestic and international competitions continued, with Messi playing a central role in the team’s success. The style of play under Guardiola, known as “tiki-taka,” emphasized quick, intricate passing and ball retention, a style perfectly suited to Messi’s strengths. During this period, Messi’s goal-scoring records, including the most goals in a calendar year, continued to rewrite football history.

In 2012, Messi achieved another milestone by becoming Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing the previous record held by César Rodríguez. His goal-scoring prowess and individual brilliance continued to captivate audiences worldwide.

However, amidst his success with Barcelona, Messi faced challenges on the international stage. Critics often pointed to his perceived inability to replicate his club success with the Argentina national team. Despite reaching the finals of major tournaments, including the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the Copa America, Argentina fell short, adding a layer of complexity to Messi’s legacy.

The 2014-2015 season saw Messi reach new heights. Under the management of Luis Enrique, Barcelona secured a historic second treble, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League. Messi’s partnership with Neymar and Luis Suárez in Barcelona’s front three, often referred to as “MSN,” produced dazzling attacking football. Messi’s performances earned him his fifth Ballon d’Or in 2015.

As Messi continued to set records and break new ground, the 2017-2018 season brought a seismic shift in his career. Barcelona faced a stunning defeat in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals against AS Roma. The disappointment was compounded by a shocking 3-0 defeat to Liverpool in the semi-finals of the same competition the following season. These setbacks added fuel to speculation about Messi’s future at Barcelona.

In August 2020, Messi sent shockwaves through the footballing world when he expressed his desire to leave Barcelona. A contractual dispute and issues with the club’s management led to Messi seeking a new challenge. The situation unfolded against the backdrop of financial difficulties at Barcelona and a changing landscape in European football.

Ultimately, Messi’s move to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in August 2021 marked the end of an era at Barcelona. The departure of the club’s all-time leading scorer was met with a mix of sadness and acknowledgment that Messi’s legacy would forever be intertwined with Barcelona’s golden era.

Messi’s arrival at PSG reunited him with former Barcelona teammate Neymar and introduced him to Kylian Mbappé, creating one of the most formidable attacking trios in world football. The move to PSG offered Messi a new challenge and an opportunity to compete in different leagues.

Off the pitch, Messi has been known for his philanthropic efforts. The Leo Messi Foundation, established in 2007, focuses on education and healthcare for vulnerable children. Messi’s commitment to making a positive impact extends beyond his footballing achievements.

In terms of individual awards, Messi secured his seventh Ballon d’Or in 2021, affirming his enduring excellence and continued influence in the sport. His ability to adapt, evolve, and consistently perform at the highest level has distinguished him as a once-in-a-generation talent.

Lionel Messi’s journey with Paris Saint-Germain continues. His impact at PSG, both on and off the pitch, is closely watched by football enthusiasts worldwide. Messi’s legacy, built on a foundation of exceptional talent, dedication, and humility, remains a defining chapter in the history of football. While his time at PSG unfolds, Messi’s influence on the sport and his contributions to both Barcelona and the Argentina national team are firmly etched in the annals of football history.

Lionel Messi’s career has been a testament to his unwavering commitment to excellence, his ability to overcome challenges, and his resilience in the face of adversity. From a young boy with dreams in Rosario to a global icon with a record-breaking career, Messi’s impact extends beyond the boundaries of the pitch. His humility, sportsmanship, and philanthropic efforts have further endeared him to fans around the world.

As the story of Lionel Messi continues to unfold, his legacy remains one of inspiration and admiration. The impact he has had on the sport, the records he has shattered, and the joy he has brought to millions of football fans make Messi a true maestro of the beautiful game. Whether wearing the colors of Barcelona, PSG, or the blue and white of Argentina, Lionel Messi’s journey remains a captivating tale of talent, triumphs, and an enduring love for the sport that has defined his life.

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Lionel Messi Biography: Personal Life, Career and Achievements

Introduction

Quick facts about lionel messi, messi’s childhood and personal life, start of career of lionel messi, lionel messi’s career, what are lionel messi’s biggest achievements, stats and numbers.

To win recognition as one of the best to ever play the game is always an extremely hard goal, not only in soccer but in any sport . It’s even more challenging when other players have already won that reputation— let alone if someone from your own country did so.

Well, Lionel Messi defied the odds and did all of that. In a country where everyone thought that no one would ever come close to Diego Maradona , a relatively unknown teenager raised in Barcelona eventually proved them wrong. Argentina produced another legend after Maradona, and that’s Leo Messi. Here, let’s get to know more about him .

Lionel Messi normally needs no introduction, but for those who need context, he’s a professional footballer widely regarded as the best of all time , or at least one of them. He was born in Argentina but spent most of his life in Europe , where he played for Spain giants FC Barcelona since he was a kid. In 2021, Messi left for Paris Saint-Germain , which is just his second club in his fantastic career. Messi is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2010.

• Full Name : Lionel Andrés Messi
• Nickname : Leo, La Pulga, La Pulga Atómica—The Flea, The Atomic Flea
• Birth Date : June 24, 1987
• Nationality : Argentina
• Height : 1.70 m (5 ft  7 in)
• Position : Winger, attacking midfielder, false nine
• Number : #10, #30

Lionel Messi’s Family

• Parents : Jorge Messi (father) and Celia María Cuccittini
• Siblings : Rodrigo (elder brother), Matías (elder brother), and María Sol (younger sister).
• Wife : Antonella Roccuzzo
• Children : Thiago, Mateo, Ciro

Lionel Messi’s Parents

Born and raised in Rosario , Lionel Messi comes from a working-class family that has been by his side throughout his entire life. His father Jorge worked as section manager in a steel factory, while her mother Celia worked in a magnetic oil workshop and occasionally cleaned houses for a living. Leo also has two elder brothers, Rodrigo and Matías , and a younger sister, María Sol .

Leo’s career, however, changed their lives . Jorge has acted as his agent since Messi joined the Barcelona youth academy, while his brothers eventually started to handle his businesses and professional brands. Still, his family—especially Jorge and Celia—has always kept a low profile despite the Argentine footballer’s rise to stardom.

Lionel Messi’s Wife and Kids

Lionel moved to Spain when he was only 13 , but he built his life with someone he knew from his childhood in Rosario: Antonella Roccuzzo , longtime partner and eventual wife. Having known each other since they were five, they got together as teenagers when Messi was already in Barcelona.

The couple has three kids: Thiago , Mateo , and Ciro . The first was born in November 2012, the second in September 2015, while the third in March 2018. Antonella became popular on social media , where he shares pictures of her family as well as her healthy lifestyle to millions of followers.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

Soccer was part of Lionel Messi’s life since he was a kid . He started playing the sport with his older brother and their friends in his native Rosario. Despite being smaller and younger than the rest , he was good enough to play with bigger boys.

It didn’t take long for him to start playing ‘formally’, being coached by his father at local club Grandoli when he was just five. A few years later, Messi hit his first big break when he joined the academy of Rosario giants Newell’s Old Boys , a top-tier football club.

An Expensive Treatment

Messi has always been shorter than his peers, so at some point in his childhood it became normal to see the rest being taller than him. But as he grew up, that became increasingly noticeable and it started to call the family’s attention . When he was just 11, Messi was diagnosed by doctors with a growth hormone deficiency (GHD) . This condition that barred his growth could be treated but it wasn’t cheap .

The Failed Interest from River Plate

Messi had to receive growth-hormone injections every night, but the medical bills quickly became too expensive for the family. His talent, however, continued to make noise and it eventually caught the eye of domestic powerhouse River Plate .

Unfortunately, River was unwilling to cover his medical treatment, which is why nothing materialized. However, a greater opportunity was in store for Messi.

A Life-Changing Opportunity 

A trial at FC Barcelona was just the beginning of something bigger for Leo, who made such an impression on coach Carles Rexach that the Spanish giants secured his signature as soon as they could. In fact, Barca were so desperate to acquire Messi that his first contract was signed on a paper napkin . On top of that, the Catalans took care of his expensive medical treatment.

At only 13, Messi joined Barcelona youth academy, called La Masia . His father Jorge supported Leo from the very beginning, moving with him to Spain while the rest of the family stayed in Rosario. Though adjusting to a new country was something new for him, Messi didn’t struggle to perform at his new club and went on to climb up the ranks until making his first team debut in 2005.

First Years (2004-2008)

Messi was promoted to the senior squad as a teenager and made his first team debut at only 17 years old , becoming the then youngest player to don the FC Barcelona uniform. 

Messi played his first official match for the club on October 16, 2004, coming on for Deco in the 82nd minute of a LaLiga fixture against Espanyol . That season, Messi also became the youngest goal scorer in the history of the Spanish top-flight.

A Big Decision: Argentina or Spain?

Messi’s progress at the Catalan outfit caught the eye of the Spanish national team, which tried to convince him to represent its youth teams. Messi, who had been given Spanish citizenship, declined the offer as he remained attached to his Argentine roots .

Nightmare International Debut

Having helped La Albiceleste win the U-20 World Cup, Messi made his senior international debut for Argentina in a friendly match on August 17, 2005—but nothing went according to plan. Only 43 seconds after coming on in the second half against Hungary , the 18-year-old Messi saw the red card for elbowing a rival in his neck while running towards the goal.

First World Cup (2006)

However, Messi managed to leave that behind and went on to be part of the Argentina roster for the 2006 World Cup, where he became the youngest Argentine player to play and score in FIFA’s flagship competition . His first goal in a World Cup came in a 5-0 victory against Serbia and Montenegro in the group stage. Argentina was eliminated by Germany in the quarterfinals, and people still question Jose Pekerman’s decision not to field Messi that day.

Olympic Success (2008)

But from then on, Messi became a regular starter in the national team. Following a painful defeat in the 2007 Copa America final, the rising Barcelona star led his country to an Olympic gold medal in Beijing 2008 . After the Summer Olympics , Messi’s club career reached new heights .

Rise To Stardom (2009)

Though Messi was part of the Barcelona roster that won the double in the 2005-06 season and established himself as starter in the next two years, his breakout season came in the 2008-09 campaign . With Ronaldinho gone, Messi emerged as the new superstar of Barcelona.

That year, Messi took his game to the next level by helping Barcelona secure the first “treble” in club history . That means winning the best three tournaments at stake: UEFA Champions League, LaLiga, and Copa del Rey . The treble-winning team led by Pep Guardiola is widely considered as the best team of all time, and Leo played a pivotal role in its success.

Sextuple Year, First Ballon d’Or

With nine goals in 12 Champions League games (including the game-winner in the final against Manchester United), 23 goals in 31 league matches and six in eight Copa del Rey affairs, Messi made a strong case to win the first Ballon d’Or in his career . 

On top of that, Barca ended up securing the first sextuple in soccer history : Champions League, LaLiga, Copa del Rey, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and Spanish Super Cup. However, the best was yet to come.

Making The History Books (2012)

2012 was a historic, record-breaking year for Messi. After becoming the first player to score five goals in a single Champions League game, Messi surpassed Cesar Rodriguez (232 goals) as Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer scoring a hat trick against Granada . 

On top of that, he also broke Gerd Muller ’s 39-year record of 85 goals in a calendar year (1972), recording 91 goals in 2012 . Far from being jealous, Muller said: "My record stood for 40 years—85 goals in 60 games—and now the best player in the world has broken it, and I'm delighted for him. He is an incredible player, gigantic."

Needless to say, that wonderful year earned Messi his fourth consecutive Ballon d’Or award, becoming the first player in history to win the prize on four occasions.

Tough Years with the National Team (2010-2018)

While Messi enjoyed worldwide recognition for his fantastic performances at FC Barcelona, he didn’t get the same kind of love in his home country . Though many Argentine fans admired Leo, his lack of success with the national team while he thrived in Spain made him a subject of criticism by the local media. In addition, he was also constantly compared with Diego Maradona.

To be fair, no other team could match what Barcelona did under Pep Guardiola. Regardless, Messi was made a scapegoat for Argentina’s failures in those years. He had blossomed as a Ballon d’Or player at Barcelona, but he couldn’t carry his level to the international stage.

2010 World Cup

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa was the first big blow in Messi’s international career. Not only was Argentina destroyed by Germany in the quarterfinals, but Messi ended the tournament without scoring a single goal . The team didn’t arrive to that competition in a good spot, but the expectations around Messi were still much higher.

2011 Copa America

Things only got worse in the 2011 Copa America . Despite being the host country, Argentina left a lot to be desired by losing in the quarterfinals against Uruguay. That tournament was particularly harsh for Messi, who was whistled by the home crowd as he finished the tournament goalless.

2014 World Cup

His image started to improve on the road to Brazil 2014, getting on the scoresheet from the very first game and putting the team on his back en route to the World Cup final . However, Argentina’s heartbreaking loss to Germany meant that Messi had yet to silence his haters, even though he won the Golden Ball award—given to the player of the tournament.

2015 Copa America

Despite the progress made in that World Cup, Messi had once again taken many steps back in his relationship with Argentinian fans and media. International glory continued to elude Messi in the 2015 Copa America, when his side lost to Chile in the final. But Messi hit rock bottom the following year .

Copa America Centenario (2016)

Having shone throughout the Copa America Centenario —held in the US in 2016 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the competition—it looked like Messi’s first piece of silverware with the Argentina national team was inevitable. But once again, Argentina finished runner-up as Chile stood on its way. This time it was even more traumatic for Messi, who missed his spot-kick in the penalty shootout .

A devastated Messi was seen crying after the loss, as his and Argentina’s wait for an international success extended. Having reached his lowest point since playing for his country, Messi said postgame he would quit the national team. The haters were still there, and their comments were even louder after that final, but many Argentinians were in shock as they saw their idol at an all-time low .  

Fortunately, Messi changed his mind a few months later . That doesn’t mean that things became easier, though.

Troubled Road to Russia 2018

Argentina struggled on their way to the 2018 World Cup. The soccer federation went through significant changes in its hierarchy, while the team had three different coaches throughout the qualifiers. In the end, Argentina clinched a spot in Russia thanks to a hat trick from Messi in the final round.

Disappointing World Cup

Argentina didn’t arrive in Russia in high spirits, and it proved costly . Messi missed a penalty in a 1-1 draw against Iceland, which was followed by an ugly loss to Croatia . The Barcelona star helped his side beat Nigeria to avoid a group stage exit, but Argentina then lost to eventual champions France . 

This time, the blame didn’t fall on Messi, as Jorge Sampaoli did a terrible job as head coach. Still, it was yet another sour World Cup for the best player on Earth. In all those years, Messi had better luck at Barcelona—but soon he would experience bad times there as well .

Last Successful Years with Barcelona

2013 was complicated for Messi. The soccer machine spent months on the sidelines with hamstring injuries but found a way to come back stronger, becoming the all-time top scorer in both La Liga and Champions League in 2014.

The 2014-15 was the last great season for Messi and Barcelona, as the club repeated the treble that year with a powerful offensive trio of striker Luis Suarez, Messi and Neymar . Additionally, the Argentine footballer regained the FIFA Ballon d’Or after losing to Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013 and 2014. 

Barcelona Goes Downhill (2018-2020)

Barcelona went through a tough period from 2018 to 2020, suffering humiliating Champions League eliminations in consecutive years. Roma , Liverpool , and Bayern have all handed Barca painful defeats , preventing them from making the final.

On top of that, the club started to experience financial problems with Josep Maria Bartomeu ’s board. All those woes combined almost drove Messi away from Barcelona. The Argentine footballer looked ready to leave in 2020 as a free agent, but it turned out that his contract didn’t allow it. 

Barcelona Farewell (2021)

Messi had no option but to stay for the 2020-21 season, his toughest year at the club. Once again, Leo was one of the few bright spots of the team but it was still a lackluster campaign as Barca was demolished by PSG in the Champions League and finished third in LaLiga.

Messi had entered the final year of his contract, but his mood had changed as Bartomeu left. Joan Laporta won the elections and, even with all the financial problems that struck the club, the outlook was much better. Therefore, though Messi became a free agent at the end of the season, he looked ready to re-sign .

However, in a shocking turn of events, the club told Messi he couldn’t be registered in LaLiga due to salary cap rules. And just like that, Messi left . Ironically, while he went through the hardest days at Barcelona, Messi finally found happiness with Argentina.

Redemption with Argentina (2019-2022)

It took a long time, but Messi changed the narrative with the Argentine national team. A mature Leo had emerged as the face of the team’s reconstruction under Lionel Scaloni after the 2018 World Cup. The team finished third in the 2019 Copa America, and from then on, there was no turning back.

Argentina strengthened itself in South America, getting off to a positive start to the Qualifiers. A new generation of players had come and Messi started to feel more comfortable with them. Eventually, Argentina started to string good results together and it proved a point in the 2021 Copa America.

2021 Copa America Triumph

Messi’s wait for an elusive international title came to an end in epic fashion, with Argentina beating rivals and host country Brazil in the final at the Maracana . La Albiceleste ended a 28-year drought, and Messi achieved his first major success with the senior national team .

Since then, Messi has received nothing but love from the Argentine community . Besides, he continued to lead the team en route to a Qatar 2022 berth and a memorable Finalissima trophy. 

Qatar 2022: The Wait Comes to an End

At Qatar 2022, the inevitable finally happened: Lionel Messi got his hands on the coveted FIFA World Cup trophy. In one of the best performances ever seen in tournament history, the 35-year-old broke all kinds of records to emulate Maradona and take Argentina back to the promised land. For many, the GOAT debate should no longer exist : with this title, Messi is widely regarded as the best soccer player ever.

A New Adventure in Paris (2021)

While enjoying the best moment in his international career, Messi had to make a big decision: Barcelona was no longer his club, and he had many offers on the table. In the end, Lionel signed a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021.

Though the expectations in the French capital were through the roof, Messi struggled in his first season at the Parc des Princes . The team won the Ligue 1 , but its early Champions League defeat to Real Madrid—in addition to Messi’s poor goalscoring record—made Messi target of criticism by PSG fans and French media. Messi got off to a much better start next season, replacing whistles for standing ovations.

Named World Player of the Year several times, Messi is widely considered as one of, if not the best soccer player of his generation. Many compare him with Cristiano Ronaldo , but for others they are not even in the same tier . Some believe Messi deserves to be compared to the likes of Pele or Maradona, but his true fans think he’s even better than any other player in history.

Renowned personalities in world soccer only have good things to say about Messi. For instance, Josep Guardiola: " Nobody can sit at Messi's table . He scores 60 or 70 goals per season, always in the big games; he plays every three days and never gets injured. He has his body under total control. He's the best player I've ever seen." However, Messi’s honors speak for themselves . 

List of Messi’s Awards

Club titles, fc barcelona.

• Champions League : 4 (2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2014-15)
• LaLiga : 10 (2004-05, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19)
• Copa del Rey : 7 (2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021)
• Club World Cup : 3 (2009, 2011, 2015)
• UEFA Super Cup : 3 (2010, 2012, 2016)
• Supercopa de España : 8 (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2019)
• Ligue 1 : 1 (2021-22)
• Trophée des Champions : 1 (2022)

International Titles

• FIFA World Cup : 1 (2022)
• Copa America : 1 (2021)
• Finalissima : 1 (2022)
• Olympic Gold Medal : 1 (2008)
• U-20 World Cup : 1 (2005)

Individual Honors

• Ballon d’Or : 7 (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021)
• FIFA World Player of the Year : 1 (2009)
• The Best Award : 1 (2019)
• European Golden Shoe : 6 (2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19)
• Pichichi LaLiga : 7 (2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21)
• MVP LaLiga : 9 (2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19)
• Champions League top scorer : 6 (2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2014-15, 2018-19)
• World Cup Golden Ball: 2 (2014, 2022)
• UEFA Men’s Player of the Year : 2 (2010-11, 2014-15)
• Golden Boy : 1 (2005)
• MVP Copa America : 1 (2021)
• All-time top goalscorer at same club
• FC Barcelona all-time top scorer
• All-time leading goalscorer of Argentina
• Argentina’s top scorer at World Cups
• First player to score in all knockout rounds of a World Cup
• Most games played at the FIFA World Cup
• All-time top scorer in LaLiga
• Top scorer in the 21st century
• Top scorer in El Clasico
• All time international top scorer in South America
• Most games played for FC Barcelona
• Most games played with Argentina
• Most trophies won at FC Barcelona
• Most goals in a LaLiga season (50)
• Most decorated Argentine player

Though his many awards already speak for themselves, Messi’s stats continue to prove why he made a strong case to be considered the best football player of all time. 

Overall stats

• Games : 1003
• Goals : 793
• Assists : 350
• Cards : 95 (3 red cards)
• Opponents : 165
• Coefficient: 1.531
• Penalties: 108
• Free Kicks: 60
• Assists: 350
• Opponents: 102
• Players: 81
• Competitions: 11

* Source: MessiStats

Conclusions

The comparisons will always be there, whether it is fair or not. Either way, Lionel Messi has certainly given reasons to be regarded as one of the greatest soccer players the game has ever seen . 

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Lionel Messi Biography, Net Worth, Awards, Age and Many More

Lionel Messi is considered as the greatest soccer player today. He is not only a modern legend, but is also counted among the best of all time . Messi has a huge number of awards and records that speak volumes about his skills, but the real proof of his talent is on the field, where he plays to tell the world what an incredible footballer he is.

Lionel Messi Biography

Messi is known for nothing but his football skills, and it seems that the man likes to stay low and get known for nothing but football. He may not be the most expensive transfer, the wealthiest athlete, the most handsome celebrity, or a player with many talents, but Messi is a great footballer, and he means business.

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi Newell’s Boys Career

Messi spent the early part of his career at Newell’s Old Boys club, based in Rosario, Santa Fey. He played here from 1994 to 2000. Messi joined the team at a tender age of six, and remained a part of the club for six years. During that time, he scored an around 500 goals, as part of the almost-unbeatable youth group, “The Machine of ’87”, which got its name from the year of Messi’s birth. Messi used to entertain the crowds with ball tricks in the half-time of the home games of his team. At 10, when Messi was diagnosed with a deficiency of growth hormone, the club offered to help pay for his treatment, but later withdrew their commitment.

He was also hunted by River Plate of Buenos Aires, but they, too, failed to pay for his treatment.  Messi’s family in Catalonia arranged a trial for him at Barcelona in 2000, and he joined the team in 2001, after much discussion amidst the team authorities. Although there were problems with the team after his transfer to Barcelona, Newell let go of their grievances by 2012, and embraced their long-ter relationship with the player. In fact, they even issued a membership to Messi’s child within 72 hours of his birth. Messi has plans to make a return to end his soccer career at Newell’s some day.

Lionel Messi Barcelona Career

Messi’s relatives in Catalonia helped him reach a trial with Barcelona in 2000, after which, Charly Rexach, the first team director, was so impressed that he wanted Messi. But it was not common back then to bring American players into Europe at such a young age, and the board of the team hesitated. In December, that year, Rexach offered contract to Messi on a paper napkin, because no other paper was available hand: he was that desperate to prove that Barca was committed to him. In 2001, Messi finally joined Camp Nou. In his first year, he hardly got to play, because of the transfer disputes. He only took part in friendly matches and in the Catalan league. This made him struggle to be a part of the team.

After spending a year at the youth team of Barca, i.e. La Masia finally joined the RFEF i.e. Royal Spanish Football Federation in February 2002. He underwent his treatment, and became part of Barca’s best youth tea, the Baby Dream Team. In his first full time season in 2002, he became the highest scorer Cadetes A with 36 goals in 30 matches. He defeated a severe face injury and continued his displays in the season, and at the end of it, he got approached by Arsenal, but he stayed in Barcelona, and has been the backbone of the team ever since. He has performed immensely well for the team, and has set many records.

Messi has helped his team lift several trophies, including:

• La Liga: 8 (2004–05, 2008–10, 2012, 2014–15)
• Copa del Rey: 5 (2008, 2011, 2014–16)
• Supercopa de España: 6 (2006, 2009–11, 2013, 2016)
• Champions League: 4 (2005, 2008, 2010, 2014)
• Super Cup: 3 (2009, 2011, 2015)
• FIFA Club World Cup: 3 (2009, 2011, 2015)

Lionel Messi – Barcelona

Lionel Messi Argentina Career

Moving to Spain to play for Barcelona gave Messi a dual citizenship and chance to play for both Argentina and Spain. However, Messi chose to play for Argentina, even after Spain pursued him after being tipped off about the young player by Rexach. He wanted to pursue his dream of joining Argentina. He became part of the U20 team of Argentina in 2004, and in 2005, he embarked upon his senior career at Argentina. At his national team, Messi is, without a doubt, the most important and dependable player.

From the very first season, he has been compared with Argentina legend Diego Maradona. Mess is the player upon whom the entire squad depends. During his tenure, Argentina has secured the FIFA U-20 World Cup of 2005 and the Olympic Gold Medal in 2008. However, with Messi as part of the team, Argentina has come close to winning several big tournaments, like the FIFA World Youth Championship 2004, the Copa America 2007, the World Cup 2010, etc.

From becoming the youngest player to represent Argentina in World Cup, Messi soon assumed the position of the captain of Argentina. Even as the leader, he has become quite iconic, leading his team close to many titles. In 2016, Messi announced his retirement during the Copa America. This was followed by a campaign to bring him back, as Argentina fans went crazy to bring him back. Thus Messi was compelled to withdraw his retirement plans.

Lionel Messi Childhood

Leo Messi was born in Rosario, Santa Fe. He was keen to play football from an early age, and joined his first club when he was just six. But soon, he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency. This could have put a stop to his soccer career. His treatment could only take place after he joined Barcelona. Messi’s family moved to Spain with him in 2001, so that Messi could play for Barcelona. After some time, he had to stay there with just his father, while the rest of his family moved back to Rosario.

Messi felt homesick. He was so quiet and reserved that the rest of the team initially had the idea that he was mute. Eventually, when he became part of the RFEF, he became friends with his teammates, including Gerard Piqué and Cesc Fàbregas, who have remained his friends. However, his best friend since his childhood was Lucas Scaglia, another football player, with whom he now has family ties. At 14, he underwent the growth hormone treatment.

Lionel Messi Family

Messi has always been very close to his family members. He was born as the third son of Celia Maria Cuccittini and Jorge Horassio Messi. Aside from his two brothers, Rodrigo and Matias, he also has a sister, Maria Sol Messi. Messi’s career-related issues are all handled by his family members. His father has been his agent since Leo was 14, while his brother, Rodrigo, handles his daily schedule, public relations, etc. Matias and his mother handle the charitable organization, Leo Messi Foundation, besides his personal and professional matters in Rosario. Messi has a particularly special bond with his mom, whose face he has tattooed on his left shoulder.

Lionel Messi – Argentine international

Lionel Messi Girlfriend

Lionel Messi is married to Antonella Roccuzzo, who is the cousin of his best friend and fellow footballer Lucas Scaglia. The two knew each other since the age of five. However, the two started dating since 2008, and after keeping things private for a year, Messi finally made his relationship public in 2009. They two had two sons before they finally got married in June 2017. Roccuzzo is currently pregnant with their third child.

Lionel Messi Children

Messi and Roccuzzo have two sons, Thiago and Mateo. Thiago was born in 2012, and to celebrate Roccuzzo’s first pregnancy, Messi put the ball under his shirt at the end of a match after scoring for Argentina against Ecuador. Messi has his first-born’s name and footprint tattooed on his left calf. Mateo was born in 2015. In October 2017, Roccuzzo announced her third pregnancy with a picture on Instagram, posting it with the title, “Family of Five.”

Lionel Messi Net Worth

According to Forbes in 2017, Lionel Messi is the second highest paid soccer player in the world, with an earning of $65 million. This includes his salary of $42 million, and endorsement money of $23 million, from his deals with major brands like Adidas, Samsung, Turkish Airlines Herbalife, etc. While nothing is known for sure, it is believed that Messi earns a salary of £26.5 million a year from Barcelona, as revealed during the recent discussions on how Cristiano Ronaldo has demanded the same amount of money from Real Madrid that Messi draws from Barcelona.

Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo

Among the many football players of his time, Messi is mainly compared to Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo . Messi and CR7 have become the main representatives of their teams, Barcelona and Real Madrid, and their rivalry is as big as the age-old Real Madrid vs Barcelona rivalry. They two are considered the best in their time. While Messi is ahead in terms of records, and the two have the same number of Ballon d’Or awards, It is mostly argued that Messi is a player with a better technique, and is pulled back because of his team. Ronaldo, on the other hand, is given greater credit as a showman, and an overall stature as a celebrity. Thereis constant comparison between the two by media, and they maintain a competitive but respectful relationship, as strong professionals. In terms of games, both for their respective clubs and countries, Messi appeared in 740 games, and made 595 goals, with 244 assists. CR7, on the other hand, has 628 goals in 891 games, with 203 assists.

Lionel Messi Awards

Lionel Messi’s displays have helped him earn many team and individual awards. The most prestigious among them his individual awards is the Ballon d’Or – Messi has earned himself five of this award, making him the player with the highest number of Ballon d’Or awards, along with Cristiano Ronaldo. After his performance in 2017-18, he is lined for his 6 th award. Aside from this, his other awards include:

• Ballon d’Or: 5 (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015)
• European Golden Shoe: 4 (2010, 2012, 2013, 2017)
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 1 (2009)
• FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 1 (2014)
• UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award: 2 (2011, 2015)
• UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 1 (2009)
• World Soccer World Player of the Year: 4 (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015)
• La Liga Best Player: 6 (2008–12, 2014)
• FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2 (2009, 2011)
• FIFA World Youth Championship Golden Ball: 1 (2005)
• FIFA World Youth Championship Golden Shoe: 2005 (472)
• Copa América Best Young Player: 1 (2007)
• Copa América Best Goal: 1 (2007)

These are only a few of his enormous number of awards. He has earned himself many other awards, and if awards were a proof of the value of a player, Messi’s value would surely be sky high.

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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.

DISCLAIMER! Sportmob does not claim ownership of any of the pictures posted on this website. Again, we do not host pictures or videos ourselves. Our authors merely link to the rightful owner. Lastly, Sportmob have carefully considered and reviewed all of its content. Despite that, it is possible that some information might be out-dated or incomplete.

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Lionel messi biography: the maestro of modern football.

Table of Contents

Lionel Andrés Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, was born on June 24, 1987, in the city of Rosario, Argentina. His journey from a humble upbringing in South America to becoming a global sports icon is a testament to his unwavering determination, incredible talent, and unyielding passion for the beautiful game. In this blog, we will look at Lionel Messi biography, his journey, goals, clubs, wife, children, net worth, facts, social media, etc.

Lionel Messi Biography

Poverty and a deep passion for football marked Lionel Messi’s early life. Raised in Rosario, Argentina, by his father, a steel factory manager and mother who worked in magnet manufacturing workshop, he fell in love with the sport from a young age and displayed exceptional natural talent. At just four years old, Messi started playing for a local club called Grandoli, where his extraordinary dribbling skills shone. He soon joined Newell’s Old Boys, a respected club in Rosario with a rich football tradition.

However, adversity struck when he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at the age of 11, jeopardizing his dream of becoming a professional footballer. Despite financial challenges, his grandmother, Celia, played a crucial role in supporting him by sewing footballs and seeking opportunities to secure his future.

Professional Career

Lionel Messi, often regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, had a remarkable professional career. He spent the majority of his career with FC Barcelona. Messi made his first-team debut for the club in 2004 and quickly rose to prominence. His incredible dribbling skills, close ball control, and goal-scoring prowess made him a sensation.

During his time at Barcelona, Messi won numerous titles, including La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League. He became the club’s all-time top scorer and is known for his incredible consistency in scoring goals.

In addition to his club success, Messi has won multiple Ballon d’Or awards, symbolizing his status as the world’s best player. He consistently broke records for goal-scoring and assists in various competitions.

After over two decades with Barcelona, financial constraints forced Messi to transfer to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2021. His move to PSG marked a significant change in his career, where he continued to perform at an elite level alongside other football stars. Messi joined American club Inter Miami in July 2023 and also won the Leagues Cup in August 2023.

International Career

Lionel Messi’s international career with the Argentine national team has been a mix of triumphs and challenges. Despite his extraordinary success at the club level, Messi initially faced criticism for not achieving the same level of success with Argentina. He consistently led the national team to major tournaments but fell short of winning titles.

However, the turning point came in 2021, when Messi played a pivotal role in Argentina’s victory at the Copa America, securing his first major international title. His performances, including scoring crucial goals and providing assists, silenced critics and cemented his status as one of Argentina’s greatest football legends.

In collaboration with his national team, he achieved victory in the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Renowned for his remarkable goal-scoring abilities and creative playmaking, Messi boasts an impressive list of records, including the highest number of goals in La Liga (474), the most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions League (eight), as well as the highest number of assists in La Liga (192) and the Copa América (17).

Lionel Messi: Net Worth

It is reported that Lionel Messi is worth $600 million. After spending the majority of his career at Barcelona and increasing his wages even further by joining big clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, the Argentina captain has garnered enormous financial benefits. Lionel Messi has endorsed various renowned brands including Adidas, Pepsi, Lay’s, Budweiser, Air Europa, Jacob and Co, and OrCam.

Lionel Messi: Clubs

Messi has played for the following clubs in his professional career:

• Grandoli (1992-1995)
• Newell’s Old Boys (1995-2000)
• Barcelona (2000-2021)
• Paris Saint-Germain (2021-2023)
•   Inter Miami (2023-current)

Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or

Lionel Messi isn’t just a player; he’s a legend. The Argentine magician has dazzled the world with his unparalleled skills and unrivaled consistency, capturing the prestigious Ballon d’Or award like no other. Lionel Messi won 8 Ballon d’Or so far in the year (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023).

Lionel Messi: Awards and Honors

• La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19
• Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21
• Supercopa de España: 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018
• UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15
• UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015

Paris Saint-Germain

• Ligue 1: 2021–22, 2022–23
• Trophée des Champions: 2022

Inter Miami

• Leagues Cup: 2023

U20 Argentina 

• FIFA World Youth Championship: 2005

U23 Argentina 

• Summer Olympics: 2008
• FIFA World Cup: 2022
• Copa América: 2021
• CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions: 2022
• Ballon d’Or/FIFA Ballon d’Or: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 2009
• The Best FIFA Men’s Player: 2019, 2022
• European Golden Shoe: 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
• FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2014, 2022
• FIFA World Cup Silver Boot: 2022
• FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2009, 2011
• FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Ball: 2005
• FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Boot: 2005
• UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award: 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15
• UEFA Champions League top scorer: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2018–19
• Copa América Best Player: 2015, 2021
• Copa América Top Goal scorer: 2021
• La Liga Best Player: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15
• Pichichi Trophy: 2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21
• Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: 2020, 2023
• Argentine Footballer of the Year: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Lionel Messi Family

Argentine soccer player Lionel “Leo” Messi and his wife Antonela Roccuzzo have been married for six years and have been together for nearly ten years. Together, they have three handsome sons, Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro.

Lionel Messi Facts

• At the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, which could have ended his football career. His family moved to Spain to seek treatment, where Barcelona FC offered him a place in their youth academy, La Masia.
• Messi holds numerous goal-scoring records, including being the all-time top scorer for both FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He’s renowned for his remarkable consistency and ability to score a wide variety of goals.
• Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award multiple times, with a particularly remarkable streak from 2009 to 2012, when he won the award four times in a row, setting a new record for consecutive wins.
• In addition to his on-field success, Messi is involved in several charitable initiatives. He established the Leo Messi Foundation, which supports education and healthcare projects for vulnerable children. His philanthropic efforts have made a positive impact beyond the football pitch.

Messi’s Legacy

Lionel Messi’s legacy in the world of football is unparalleled. Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, his impact extends far beyond the field. Messi’s legacy is characterized by:

• Unprecedented Skill: Messi’s extraordinary dribbling, close ball control, and goal-scoring prowess have set new standards for excellence in football. His ability to create magic on the field is a testament to his exceptional talent.
• Consistency: Throughout his career, Messi has consistently delivered remarkable performances. He maintained his status as one of the world’s best players over a long period, breaking numerous records for goal-scoring and assists.
• Club Loyalty: His long-standing association with FC Barcelona, where he spent the majority of his professional career, is a rare example of loyalty in modern football. He became the club’s all-time top scorer and helped Barcelona achieve remarkable success.
• Philanthropy: Messi’s philanthropic efforts through the Leo Messi Foundation showcase his commitment to giving back to society. He has supported various charitable causes, particularly focusing on children’s education and healthcare.
• Inspiration: Messi’s journey, from a young boy with a growth hormone deficiency to an iconic figure in football, serves as an inspiration to aspiring athletes worldwide. His humility and dedication to the sport resonate with fans of all ages.

Lionel Messi Social Media

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

In the grand tapestry of football history, Lionel Messi’s name shines as a beacon of excellence. His unparalleled skill, unwavering dedication, and philanthropic endeavors have left an indelible mark. From his humble beginnings in Rosario to global stardom, Messi’s journey is a testament to the power of talent and resilience. His legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats transcends borders, inspiring generations and reminding us that true greatness extends beyond the pitch. Lionel Messi’s impact on football and society will continue to be celebrated for generations to come.

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Lionel Messi addresses retirement talk: ‘If I feel good, I will keep playing’

Lionel Messi says he will call time on his football career when he no longer enjoys playing.

Messi, 36, has a contract with Inter Miami — for whom he has scored 16 goals in 19 first-team appearances since his move from Paris Saint-Germain a year ago — through to the end of 2025.

“I know that as soon as I believe that I can no longer perform, or no longer enjoy the game, or not able to help my team-mates, then I will stop,” Messi told the podcast Big Time, which was broadcast on Saudi Arabian TV this week.

“I am really self-critical; I know when I am good and when I am bad. So for my retirement, it will not matter what age I am. If I feel good, I will keep playing.”

Lionel Messi's millions: The man, the brand and the money

When pressed on what plans he had after hanging up his boots, Messi admitted: “I have not yet thought about this, I am still focused on enjoying my football every day.

“I hope to continue playing for a while longer, that is my plan. After that, I will try to do something I like in a new role.”

How to follow the Copa America on The Athletic …

• Copa America news and features
• Copa America fixtures and schedule

Messi added that he was an avid watcher of sports including tennis, basketball and American football — “I have understood it a lot more since moving to the United States and I enjoy it!” — and explained that he would have retired from international duty with Argentina had they not won the 2022 World Cup.

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“If things had not happened the way they did (winning the World Cup), I would have retired from the international team, because I was about to take another change in my (club) career,” he continued. “Being world champions for us, our families and the entire country was magical, it will stay with us for the rest of our lives.”

Lionel Messi: The evolution of the greatest footballer of all time

In 2021, after two decades at Barcelona, the Catalan club were unable to renew the contract of Messi — the club’s all-time leading goal scorer and record appearance holder.

He joined French side PSG but he explained how moving to Paris was “difficult” and that he had “not prepared or planned” to leave Barcelona . “It all happened so quickly, and I had to rebuild my life the next day,” Messi said. “It was a new league, a new club, a new dressing room. I was not looking for that change, and it was difficult at the beginning.”

Messi is set to captain Argentina in this summer’s Copa America, held in the U.S., having led his nation to the title in 2021.

(Jun Sato/WireImage)

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Colin Millar is a Staff Writer for The Athletic. Prior to joining The Athletic, Colin was European Football writer at Mirror Football. From Belfast, he is the author of The Frying Pan of Spain: Sevilla vs Real Betis, Spain’s Hottest Football Rivalry, and he can be found on Twitter/X: @Millar_Colin Follow Colin on Twitter @ Millar_Colin

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I'll retire when I can't help my team anymore - Lionel Messi

Julien Laurens believes Inter Miami are walking a fine line relying so much on their aging superstars in Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. (1:08)

• Adriana Garcia

Lionel Messi has said age will not play a factor in his decision to retire and that he will know when it is right to call time on his playing career as he will not be contributing as necessary to his team's success.

The Argentina captain, 36, has not given an indication as to when he will retire, with his deal at Inter Miami ending in December 2025.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

"I know that the moment that I know that I'm not performing, that I'm not enjoying myself, that I'm not helping my teammates," Messi told MBC's Big Time Podcast .

"I am very self-critical. I know when I am good, when I am bad, when I play well, when I play badly... And when I feel it is time to take that step, I will take it without thinking about age. If I feel good, I will always try to continue competing, because it is what I like and what I know how to do."

An eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, Messi, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, is expected to lead his national team at this summer's Copa América .

"Had things not gone the way they did [in the tournament in Qatar], I would have left the national team," Messi said.

Messi is sidelined with a hamstring injury and missed his national team's two international friendly wins over El Salvador and Costa Rica .

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said Messi is the only player to have a guaranteed place in his squad.

"I keep analysing everyone, but no one has a guaranteed place, except for the one who couldn't be here," Scaloni said in reference to Messi after Tuesday's 3-1 win against Costa Rica in Los Angeles.

Inter Miami coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino recently said Messi has the same desire to win now as he had when he coached him at Barcelona .

Messi became the most decorated football player of all time when he won his 44th trophy after helping Inter Miami lift the 2023 Leagues Cup in August.

"On a sporting level I was lucky to be able to achieve everything in my career, to have achieved my dreams and the truth is that I couldn't ask for more both from a professional and human level, as well as with my family, my friends. I try to enjoy everything that God has given me so far, which is a lot."

Messi said he has not decided what he will do once he stops playing football.

"The truth is I haven't thought about it yet," he said. "Today I try to enjoy the day to day, the moments, without thinking about what comes after.

"I don't have anything clear yet, I hope to continue playing for a while longer, which is what I like. When the time comes, I will surely find the way to what fulfills me, what I like and a new role."

Messi visit set to break New England's 61K attendance record

Lewis Morgan scores a sublime hat trick as New York Red Bulls pummel a Lionel Messi-less Inter Miami 4-0. (1:22)

The anticipated visit of Lionel Messi to Gillette Stadium next month is set to break the New England Revolution 's long-standing single-game attendance record with over 60,000 tickets already sold for the matchup with Inter Miami , New England announced Wednesday.

Less than 5,000 tickets remain for the April 27 MLS clash, the Revs said. The figure is well on track to surpass the club's previous attendance record of 61,316 set for the 2002 MLS Cup, when New England hosted the LA Galaxy .

The previous regular-season attendance record for a Revolution home game dates back to 1997, when New England hosted the Tampa Bay Mutiny in a doubleheader with a World Cup qualifying match between Mexico and the United States .

Gillette Stadium, which also hosts six-time Super Bowl winners the New England Patriots , opened in 2002. The record for a Revolution regular-season match at the stadium was 42,947 in 2015.

Last season, the Patriots' average home attendance in the NFL was 63,018 .

Despite fans clamoring for tickets to see Messi in Foxborough, it remains to be seen whether the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner will actually appear.

Messi, 36, has missed Inter Miami's last two MLS matchups, as well as sitting out two recent Argentina friendlies in the U.S., because of a hamstring injury.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Miami manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino has said Messi is being evaluated week to week after being forced off in the club's Concacaf Champions Cup second leg against Nashville SC on March 13. He has stated that the goal is to get Messi fit for Miami's Champions Cup quarterfinal matchups with Mexico's Monterrey on April 3 and April 10.

It would not be the first time that an MLS team has sold a huge quantity of tickets to fans expecting to watch the World Cup winner, only for him to be left off Miami's team sheet.

Last season, with Messi looking set to miss out through injury, the Chicago Fire offered the more than 61,000 ticketed fans a $250 account credit "toward new memberships for the 2024 season -- or a $50 account credit for anyone unable to use the new member credit -- to all single-game ticket buyers" as an incentive to still show up to Soldier Field.

Messi reveals when he’ll retire from football

I conic Argentibe footballer Lionel Messi recently discussed retirement on the Big Time Podcast, shedding light on his future plans as he navigates the twilight of his career.

Since joining Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, Messi has contributed 16 goals and seven assists in 19 appearances across competitions.

However, the 36-year-old has also grappled with injury issues, leading to concerns about his longevity in the sport.

Reflecting on his retirement plans, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner emphasized his self-awareness, acknowledging that he evaluates his performances critically.

Messi expressed his readiness to step away from the game when he feels he can no longer perform at his best or derive enjoyment from playing, regardless of his age.

“I am very self critical of myself, I know when I’m good, when I’m bad, when I play well and when I play badly. When I feel it’s time to take that step, I will take it without thinking about age,” Messi said.

“I know that moment I feel I am no longer ready to perform, that I am no longer enjoying myself or helping my teammates.”

Who was the dog at the Oscars? Meet 'Messi' the border collie (not the soccer star)

Messi, the dog, is having a moment. Dare we say, he's now just as popular as Messi, the soccer player?

Messi — the pup who played Snoop in “Anatomy of a Fall,” which was a five-time nominee and winner of "Best Original Screenplay" — had an eventful showing at The Oscars on Sunday. He appeared to sit in the audience wearing a handsome black bowtie, and he clapped his paws. (We know it was all an act , just play along).

Messi even raised his leg above Matt Damon’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to help out Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel with a joke. (He really didn’t pee and was always going to be good boy, whether he did or not).

Messi easily stole the show, reaffirming why he should win a Pawscar for his incredible acting.

“Even though he’s a dog, may have given the performance of the year in ‘Anatomy of a Fall,’” Kimmel said when introducing Messi.

Who is Messi (the dog) named after?

Messi is a 7-year-old Border Collie named after soccer superstar Lionel Messi .

Messi’s trainer, Laura Martin Contini, is a professional dog trainer who lives outside of Paris. She adopted him from a neighbor when he was a puppy, she told The Guardian last month .

Here’s the best part: Martin Contini said the neighbor was surprised when she picked “the ugliest dog of the litter.”

Martin Contini said “there was something about him” and her two children named Messi after the soccer legend.

USA TODAY Sports reached out to representatives for Messi the soccer player to get his take on another Messi rising to fame. There was no immediate response.

Messi, the original one, played for French soccer team Paris Saint-Germain from 2021-2023 after starring for FC Barcelona in Spain for much of his legendary career. A 2022 World Cup champion with Argentina, Messi is currently playing with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer in the United States.

His move to the United States made waves, and Messi has dominated headlines and commanded and massive audience wherever he goes. He also recently passed 500 million Instagram followers, making him the second-most followed person in the world. (Ronaldo is the first, but there's no Oscar-worthy dog named after him.)

Similarly, Messi (the dog) saw his popularity explode after traveling from his home country of France to work the awards circuit in America.

But despite another Messi bursting onto the pop culture scene, you need not fear confusing them. One is a GOAT. One is a dog.