Lionel Messi is one of the best soccer players in the world. He is a striker with Inter Miami CF and assisted the Argentina national team in winning its third FIFA World Cup in 2022. Millions of people have been touched by his amazing abilities, remarkable talent, and amazing journey from a little child in Rosario, Argentina, to a worldwide football hero.
Throughout more than 800 club games, Messi has scored over 700 goals. For numerous other football fans and followers of Argentina and Barcelona FC, he is a hero.
He was the first player to win three European Golden Shoes and the only player in history to win five FIFA Ballons d’Or. In addition to breaking other global records during his playing career, he presently owns the records for the most goals scored in a Champions League match (5), a calendar year (91), a La Liga season (50), and a single season (73).
| Real Name | Lionel Messi |
| Nick Name | Messi |
| Profession | Football player |
| Well Known for | Global football superstar |
Early Life of Messi
Messi was born to Jorge and Celia on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Sante Fe, Argentina. He was the third child in a family of four and grew up playing football for hours on end with his older siblings, Rodrigo and Matías.
His father, Jorge Messi, operated a steel mill, while his mother was a worker. Rodrigo Messi is the eldest of Messi’s two siblings, and Matisse Messi is the youngest. He also has a sister, Maria Sol Messi.
He joined the renowned Argentine football team Newell’s Old Boys at the age of six and played there until he moved to Barcelona at the age of thirteen.
Messi’s growth was hindered by a hormone deficit, which physicians eventually recognized as the cause of his noticeable smaller stature compared to normal children in his age group. Messi’s parents, Jorge and Cecilia, chose to give their son growth hormone injections every night, but it quickly became difficult to afford the several hundred dollars the drug cost each month.
As a result, when Messi was 13 years old, his family made the decision to go to Spain. There, he was able to train at the elite FC Barcelona La Masia youth program and receive reimbursement for his medical costs from the team. This action marked a sea change in his career and the beginning of his ascent to the status of a football legend.
| Date of Birth | June 24, 1987 |
| Place of Birth | Rosario, Sante Fe, Argentina |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Ethnicity | Argentine |
| Parents | Jorge and Celia |
| Sibling | Rodrigo and Matías |
| School | High School |
Career of Messi
Messi’s professional career began in 2000 when he joined the junior system. He quickly grew the only player to represent five different teams.
With his accomplishments in multiple competitions, goal-scoring records, and capacity to win individual awards such as the FIFA Ballon d’Or, he cemented his place as one of the greatest soccer players ever. By the late 2000s and the beginning of the 2010s, Messi had become an even more well-known sports celebrity who was adored and respected by people of all ages.
Messi’s prowess as a player was evident from his rapid rise through the junior system, which culminated in his league debut on October 16, 2004, against RCD Espanyol.
The following year, on May 1, 2005, he scored his first goal against Albacete, making history as the youngest player to score in a La Liga match for Barcelona. In September 2005, Messi was granted Spanish citizenship, which allowed him to play in the Championship League.
Youngest player
It made Messi one of the youngest players to represent Barcelona in a senior professional match, 17 years, 3 months, and 22 days old. When Messi scored his initial goal as a grownup on May 1, 2005, against Albacete, he made history by becoming Barcelona’s youngest goal scorer that May of that season. Barcelona was going to win the league that season. The following season, 2005–06, Messi established himself as a regular contributor for Barcelona and paired up offensively with two of the best players in the world, Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o.
Messi was no more a substitute for the 2006–07 campaign. There he was, named among the eleven members of the group. He scored the ball fourteen times out of the 26 games. He became the youngest player to score in the history of this match when he scored a hat-trick in the El Clasico.
During a season marred by injuries, Messi scored 17 goals in 36 games across all competitions. But towards the end of the season, Messi would truly shine. Eleven of his fourteen goals in La Liga came in the last thirteen games of the season.
Messi made History
Furthermore, Messi made history by being the first player to score three goals in a Clásico in twelve years when he netted his first hat-trick in the match between Barcelona and Real Madrid, two of the world’s fiercest rivals. A true global star was born with this. Though he suffered from persistent ailments in 2007 that limited his effectiveness, Messi nevertheless finished third in the annual Ballon d’Or, which names the world’s best football player. Messi would set records for fun, win multiple club competitions, and get individual accolades over the next 14 years.
Messi had a great 2009, helping his team win the Champions League and La Liga and taking home his first Copa del Rey. Barcelona made history by becoming the first Spanish club to win the treble, winning three titles in a year. Messi has scored three goals in a row on several occasions. At the end of the season, he finished first with 38 goals and 18 assists.
Furthermore, one of Messi’s greatest experiences was working with a great player like Ronaldo. Messi’s play was significantly superior to Ronaldo’s at the time. “This young guy will surpass me one day,” he added about Messi. Together, they contributed to many of Barcelona’s victories.
Messi’s name appears in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most goals achieved in a single year, with 91 in 2012. Gerd Muller, a famous German player, shattered the record.
Messi became the first football player in history to score in back-to-back games versus every team in the league when he scored in the 19th game of the 2013 La Liga season.
Messi then made an appearance in games against Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. But he left them both in the middle because of a hamstring issue. As a result of his injury, Messi is believed to miss every match for the rest of the season.
From 2014 onward
Although his career was in danger due to his recurring injuries, he recovered in 2014 and made a strong start to the 2014–15 campaign. He managed to shatter three venerable records before the end of the year. In November, he became La Liga’s all-time leading scorer after scoring a hat-trick against Sevilla.
He had a fantastic start to the 2015 season. He and teammate Luis Suárez put on an incredible display to set a Spanish football record with 122 goals scored in all competitions that season. Messi scored fifty-eight of the 122 goals.
He scored his 500th goal in his professional career for both club and nation against Valencia at home on April 17, 2016. During the 2015–16 campaign, he scored 41 goals and had 23 assists.
He declared his retirement from international football on June 26, 2016, the day after Argentina’s Copa América Centenario championship match loss to Chile.
A movement urging Messi to reconsider his choice started after he announced his retirement. On August 12, 2016, it was revealed that Messi had changed his mind about retiring and would still participate in Argentina’s 2018 World Cup campaign.
Football World Cup in 2018
In Argentina’s last group encounter of the 2018 Football World Cup, Messi scored a goal against Nigeria to lead his team to a 2-1 victory. He also became the third Argentine, after Diego Maradona and Gabriel Batistuta, to score in three separate World Cups. In the entire procedure, he made history as the first player to score in the World Cup while still in his teens, twenties, and thirties.
In July 2021, Messi led Argentina to victory in the Copa America Cup. He shared the lead on the team with four goals. He helped score five goals while he was there. Conversely, Messi won a record-tying seventh Ballon d’Or as the best player in 2021. Since 1956, the French football magazine “Ballon d’Or” has been named the finest football player of the year, even though COVID-19 prohibited the ceremony from taking place the year before.
Social Media Accounts
Youtube
Height, Age, Weight, Star Sign, and Net Worth
Messi will turn 37 in 2024. He is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 67 kg. He has black hair and black eyes.
Messi’s estimated net worth is between $850 million and $1 billion. Undoubtedly, he is among the highest-paid athletes in history, if not the highest. Certainly, Messi is among the world’s highest-paid athletes overall and most likely the most wealthy soccer player. Under his record-breaking 2017 contract, Messi received an average base salary of $168 million per year from Barcelona.
| Age | 37 |
| Height | 5 feet 7 inches |
| Weight | 67 kg |
| Star Sign | Leo |
| Eye and hair color | Black eyes and Black hair |
| Net Worth | $135 million approx. |
Personal Life
Messi had several romantic relationships before being committed to his wife Antonella Roccuzzo. He was initially connected to Macarena Lemos, a woman from Rosario, his birthplace.
At the age of 20, he started dating his wife, whom he had known since he was 5. She is a licensed dietitian and a model. They were married in Rosario in 2017. Their first son, Thiago, was born in 2012; their second, Mateo, was born in 2015; and their last son, Ciro, was born in 2018.
Awards and Achievements
Due to his brilliance, this wiki cannot contain a single section on Lionel Messi’s facts! The following is a list of some of the honors he has won.
Barcelona
| 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 |
Argentina
| Copa América | 2021; runner-up: 2007, 2015, 2016 |
| FIFA World Cup | runner-up: 2014 |
| CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions | 2022 |
| FIFA World Youth Championships | 2005 (Argentina under 20s) |
| Summer Olympics | 2008 (Argentina under 23s) |
Paris Saint-Germain
| Ligue 1 | 2021–22 |
| Trophée des Champions | 2022 |
Individual Honors
| 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 |
| European Golden Shoe | 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19[ |
| FIFA World Cup Golden Ball | 201 |
| FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: | 2009, 2011 |
| Laureus World Sportsman of the Year | 2020 |
| 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 |
| Argentine Footballer of the Year | 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 |
Interesting Facts
- Despite his celebrity, he still maintains strong connections with the residents of Rosario, his hometown, and represents Rosario internationally.
- ‘SportsPro’ has listed him as one of the world’s most marketable sportsmen every year since 2010.
- He is among the highest-paid football players in the world and was the first to make over €40 million.
- He has a tattoo of his mother’s face on his left shoulder.
- He is well-known for having an unhealthy obsession with food, and his go-to meal is Milanese escalope.
- Morgan has massive followers, about 504 million on Instagram.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Who is Messi?
Lionel Messi is one of the most well-known and prosperous football players in the world.
Q2. Why is Messi so popular?
Messi, who is widely considered one of the best players of all time, has won a record eight Ballon d’Or honors, a record six European Golden Shoes, and a record eight FIFA World Player honors. With 44 team trophies, Messi is the most decorated player in professional football history.
Q3. What is a paragraph about Lionel Messi?
Messi is an Argentinean football player for Inter Miami. In addition to winning the Olympic gold medal in 2008 and the FIFA World Cup in 2022, he has won the Ballon d’Or eight times as the world’s greatest player.
Q4. How did Messi start his career?
He began his career with FC Barcelona’s U14 squad. The Argentinean moved up the ranks fast, leaving an impression on everyone with his extraordinary talent and skills.
Q5. Who is better, Ronaldo or Messi?
Argentina’s top player, Lionel Messi, holds the record for both goals scored and appearances made in 178 international matches with 106. Ronaldo leads the all-time men’s records for both appearances and goals for Portugal with 127 goals in 203 games.
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