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Lionel Messi facts for kids

• Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 08:15, 28 April 2024 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

Lionel Andrés Messi ( born 24 June 1987), also known as Leo Messi , is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team .

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Messi has won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards. He also has the most international goals by a South American male (106). A prolific goalscorer and creative playmaker, Messi holds the records for most goals in La Liga (474), most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions League (eight), and most assists in La Liga (192) and the Copa América (17). Messi has scored over 800 senior career goals for club and country, and has the most goals by a player for a single club (672).

Career outline

Player profile, personal life, endorsements, philanthropy, interesting facts about lionel messi, lionel messi quotes, international, images for kids.

Messi was born on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe . He is the third of four children of Jorge Messi, a steel factory manager, and his wife Celia Cuccittini, who worked in a magnet manufacturing workshop.

Growing up in a tight-knit, football-loving family, "Leo" developed a passion for the sport from an early age. He constantly played with his older brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, and his cousins, Maximiliano and Emanuel Biancucchi, both of whom became professional footballers. At the age of four he joined local club Grandoli, where he was coached by his father.

"When you saw him you would think: this kid can't play ball. He's a dwarf, he's too fragile, too small. But immediately you'd realise that he was born different, that he was a phenomenon and that he was going to be something impressive."

A lifelong supporter of Newell's Old Boys , Messi joined the Rosario club when he was six years old. During the six years he played for Newell's, he scored almost 500 goals as a member of "The Machine of '87", the near-unbeatable youth side named for the year of their birth, and regularly entertained crowds by performing ball tricks during half-time of the first team's home games.

His future as a professional player was threatened when, aged 10, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. As his father's health insurance covered only two years of growth hormone treatment, which cost at least $ 1,000 per month, Newell's agreed to contribute, but later reneged on their promise. He was scouted by Buenos Aires club River Plate , whose playmaker, Pablo Aimar , he idolised, but they declined to pay for his treatment.

As the Messi family had relatives in Catalonia, they sought to arrange a trial with Barcelona in September 2000. First team director Charly Rexach immediately wanted to sign him, but the board of directors hesitated; at the time it was highly unusual for European clubs to sign foreign players of such a young age. On 14 December, an ultimatum was issued for Barcelona to prove their commitment, and Rexach, with no other paper at hand, offered a contract on a paper napkin.

Messi relocated to Spain from Argentina aged 13 to join Barcelona. During his first year in Spain, Messi rarely played with the Infantiles due to a transfer conflict with Newell's; as a foreigner, he could only be fielded in friendlies and the Catalan league. Without football, he struggled to integrate into the team; already reserved by nature, he was so quiet that his teammates initially believed he was mute. At home, he suffered from homesickness after his mother moved back to Rosario with his brothers and little sister, María Sol, while he stayed in Barcelona with his father.

After a year at Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, and having completed his growth hormone treatment, Messi was finally enrolled in the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in February 2002. Now playing in all competitions, he befriended his teammates, among whom were Cesc Fàbregas and Gerard Piqué .

Aged 17, he made his competitive debut for the team in October 2004. He established himself as an integral player for the club within the next three years, and in his first uninterrupted season in 2008–09 he helped Barcelona achieve the first treble in Spanish football. That year, aged 22, Messi won his first Ballon d'Or. Three successful seasons followed, with Messi winning four consecutive Ballons d'Or, making him the first player to win the award four times.

During the 2011–12 season , he set the La Liga and European records for most goals scored in a single season, while establishing himself as Barcelona's all-time top scorer. The following two seasons, Messi finished second for the Ballon d'Or behind Cristiano Ronaldo (his perceived career rival), before regaining his best form during the 2014–15 campaign, becoming the all-time top scorer in La Liga and leading Barcelona to a historic second treble, after which he was awarded a fifth Ballon d'Or in 2015. Messi assumed captaincy of Barcelona in 2018, and won a record sixth Ballon d'Or in 2019. Until leaving the club in 2021, he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona , where he won a club-record 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and the UEFA Champions League four times.

Out of contract, he signed for French club Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021, spending two seasons at the club and winning Ligue 1 twice. Messi joined American club Inter Miami in July 2023, winning the Leagues Cup in August of that year. His base salary is set at $12 million with guaranteed compensation totaling $20.4 million for the 2023 season; Messi is also set to earn additional shares from jersey sales, MLS Season Pass subscriptions, and a stake in the club itself.

An Argentine international, Messi is the country's all-time leading goalscorer and also holds the national record for appearances . At youth level, he won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, finishing the tournament with both the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe , and an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

His style of play as a diminutive, left-footed dribbler drew comparisons with his compatriot Diego Maradona , who described Messi as his successor. After his senior debut in August 2005, Messi became the youngest Argentine to play and score in a FIFA World Cup ( 2006 ), and reached the final of the 2007 Copa América, where he was named young player of the tournament. As the squad's captain from August 2011, he led Argentina to three consecutive finals: the 2014 FIFA World Cup , for which he won the Golden Ball, the 2015 Copa América , winning the Golden Ball , and the 2016 Copa América .

After announcing his international retirement in 2016, he reversed his decision and led his country to qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup , a third-place finish at the 2019 Copa América, and victory in the 2021 Copa América, while winning the Golden Ball and Golden Boot for the latter. For this achievement, Messi received a record-extending seventh Ballon d'Or in 2021.

In 2022, he led Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he won a record second Golden Ball, scored seven goals including two in the final, and broke the record for most games played at the World Cup (26).

In March 2023, Messi made his return to Argentina as a world champion with two appearances in friendlies in his home country. He scored his 99th international goal with a free-kick in Argentina's 2–0 win over Panama ; this also marked his 800th senior career goal for club and country. In the following match against Curaçao , Messi scored a hat-trick, his ninth for Argentina, and recorded an assist in a 7–0 win. The first of his three goals saw him reach 100 international goals, making Messi the third player in history to reach the milestone.

Due to his short stature, Messi has a lower centre of gravity than taller players, which gives him greater agility, allowing him to change direction more quickly and evade opposing tackles. Although he has improved his ability with his weaker foot since his mid-20s, Messi is predominantly a left-footed player.

A prolific goalscorer, Messi is known for his finishing, positioning, quick reactions, and ability to make attacking runs to beat the defensive line. He has often been described as a magician; a conjurer, creating goals and opportunities where seemingly none exist. Moreover, he is an accurate free kick and penalty kick taker. As of September 2023, Messi ranks 5th all time in goals scored from direct free kicks with 65, the most among active players. He also has a penchant for scoring from chips.

Since 2008, Messi has been in a relationship with Antonela Roccuzzo, a fellow native of Rosario . He has known Roccuzzo since he was five years old, as she is the cousin of his childhood best friend, Lucas Scaglia, who is also a football player. After keeping their relationship private for a year, Messi first confirmed their romance in an interview in January 2009, before going public a month later during a carnival in Sitges after the Barcelona–Espanyol derby.

Messi and Roccuzzo have three sons. Thiago was born in Barcelona on 2 November 2012. In April 2015, Messi confirmed that they were expecting another child. On 30 June 2017, he married Roccuzzo at a luxury hotel named Hotel City Center in Rosario. In October 2017, his wife announced they were expecting their third child. Messi and his family are Catholic Christians.

Messi enjoys a close relationship with his immediate family members, particularly his mother, Celia, whose face he has tattooed on his left shoulder. His professional affairs are largely run as a family business: his father, Jorge, has been his agent since he was 14, and his oldest brother, Rodrigo, handles his daily schedule and publicity. His mother and other brother, Matías, manage his charitable organization, the Leo Messi Foundation, and take care of personal and professional matters in Rosario.

Since leaving for Spain aged 13, Messi has maintained close ties to his hometown of Rosario, even preserving his distinct Rosarino accent . He has kept ownership of his family's old house, although it has long stood empty; he maintains a penthouse apartment in an exclusive residential building for his mother, as well as a family compound just outside the city. Once when he was in training with the national team in Buenos Aires, he made a three-hour trip by car to Rosario immediately after practice to have dinner with his family, spent the night with them, and returned to Buenos Aires the next day in time for practice. Messi keeps in daily contact via phone and text with a small group of confidants in Rosario, most of whom were fellow members of "The Machine of '87" at Newell's Old Boys. Messi has long planned to return to Rosario to end his playing career at Newell's.

Messi has endorsed sportswear company Adidas since 2006.

According to France Football , he was the world's highest-paid footballer for five years out of six between 2009 and 2014, and was ranked the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2019 and 2022. In 2020, Messi became the second footballer and second team-sport athlete to surpass $1 billion in career earnings.

Throughout his career, Messi has been involved in charitable efforts aimed at vulnerable children, a commitment that stems in part from the medical difficulties he faced in his own childhood. Since 2004, he has contributed his time and finances to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Messi has served as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador since his appointment in March 2010, completing his first field mission for the organisation four months later as he travelled to Haiti to bring public awareness to the plight of the country's children in the wake of the recent earthquake . He has since participated in UNICEF campaigns targeting HIV prevention, education, and the social inclusion of disabled children. To celebrate his son's first birthday, in November 2013, Messi and Thiago were part of a publicity campaign to raise awareness of mortality rates among disadvantaged children.

In addition to his work with UNICEF, Messi founded his own charitable organisation, the Leo Messi Foundation, which supports access to health care, education, and sport for children. It was established in 2007 following a visit Messi paid to a hospital for terminally ill children in Boston, an experience that resonated with him to the point that he decided to reinvest part of his earnings into society. Through his foundation, Messi has awarded research grants, financed medical training, and invested in the development of medical centres and projects in Argentina, Spain, and elsewhere in the world. In addition to his own fundraising activities, such as his global "Messi and Friends" football matches, his foundation receives financial support from various companies to which he has assigned his name in endorsement agreements, with Adidas as their main sponsor.

Messi has also invested in youth football in Argentina: he financially supports Sarmiento, a football club based in the Rosario neighbourhood where he was born, committing in 2013 to the refurbishment of their facilities and the installation of all-weather pitches, and funds the management of several youth players at Newell's Old Boys and rival club Rosario Central , as well as at River Plate and Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires. At Newell's Old Boys, his boyhood club, he funded the 2012 construction of a new gymnasium and a dormitory inside the club's stadium for their youth academy. His former youth coach at Newell's, Ernesto Vecchio, is employed by the Leo Messi Foundation as a talent scout for young players. On 7 June 2016, Messi won a libel case against La Razón newspaper and was awarded €65,000 in damages, which he donated to the charity Médecins Sans Frontières . Messi made a donation worth €1 million ($1.1 million) to fight the spread of coronavirus . This was split between Clinic Barcelona hospital in Barcelona, Spain and his native Argentina. In addition to this, Messi along with his fellow FC Barcelona teammates announced he will be taking a 70% cut in salaries during the 2020 coronavirus emergency , and contribute further to the club to provide fully to salaries of all the clubs employees.

• On his father's side, he is of Italian and Spanish descent, and on his mother's side, he has primarily Italian ancestry.
• His earliest influence as a player came from his maternal grandmother, Celia, who accompanied him to training and matches. She died shortly before his eleventh birthday; since then, as a devout Roman Catholic , he has celebrated his goals by looking up and pointing to the sky in tribute to his grandmother.
• His goalscoring idol growing up was Ronaldo , with Messi calling him "the best forward I've ever seen".
• Messi holds triple citizenship, as he is a citizen of Argentina, Italy, and Spain.
• His favourite meals include asado (traditional South American barbecue), milanesa and pasta , and he prefers his mate unsweetened.
• Messi was among Time ' s 100 most influential people in the world in 2011, 2012 and 2023.
• In 2020 and 2023, he was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, with Messi being the first team-sport athlete to win the award.
• Among his contemporary peers, Messi is most often compared and contrasted with Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo , as part of an ongoing rivalry.
• In February 2021, Messi donated to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya his Adidas shoes which he wore when he scored his 644th goal for Barcelona and broke Pelé's record for most goals scored for a single club; the shoes were later auctioned off in April by the museum for charity to help children with cancer and were sold for £125,000.
• "Sometimes you have to accept you can't win all the time."
• "You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it."
• "The day you think there is no improvements to be made is a sad one for any player."
• "I have fun like a child in the street. When the day comes when I'm not enjoying it, I will leave football."

Career statistics

• 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

Argentina U20

• FIFA World Youth Championship: 2005

Argentina U23

• Olympic Gold Medal : 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, 2023
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 2009
• The Best FIFA Men's Player: 2019, 2022, 2023
• 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 Club Footballer of the Year: 2008–09
• UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award: 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 Goalscorer: 2021
• La Liga Best Player: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15 , 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
• 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
• Ballon d'Or Dream Team : 2020
• FIFA FIFPRO World 11: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Argentine Sportsperson of the Year: 2011, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Argentine Footballer of the Year: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Messi aiming to shoot during the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final against Manchester United

Messi (centre) and his teammates celebrating winning the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup

Messi pointing to the sky following his record five-goal display against Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League in 2012

Messi during a game against Almería in 2014

Messi celebrating his second goal against Granada in 2014

Messi dribbling past Juventus defender Patrice Evra during the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final

Messi holding off Sevilla's Éver Banega during the 2015 UEFA Super Cup

Messi prior to a friendly game with Al Ahli SC in Doha , Qatar in December 2016

Messi taking a free-kick against Real Valladolid in 2018

Messi's six Ballon d'Or awards on display in the FC Barcelona Museum. His record sixth from 2019 is at the front.

Messi (middle) with PSG team-mates Kylian Mbappé (left) and Neymar

Messi evades Brazil's Marcelo in the semi-final of the 2008 Summer Olympics

Messi in action during the opening match against Bolivia at the 2011 Copa América

Messi scored his first international hat-trick against Switzerland in 2012.

Messi watches his 25-yard curling strike hit the net against Iran to win the game for Argentina in their second group game at the 2014 FIFA World Cup .

Messi battles Germany's Mats Hummels for the ball during the 2014 FIFA World Cup final.

Messi celebrates his hat-trick against Ecuador in 2017 which saw Argentina qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Messi celebrates his goal against Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Messi at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Messi prepares to shoot with his dominant left foot in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final.

Messi has been compared with Cristiano Ronaldo (left) throughout much of their careers.

Messi's Argentina jersey, supplied by Adidas, was sold out worldwide during the 2022 World Cup.

After blessing himself , Messi often celebrates a goal by pointing a finger on each hand towards the sky in dedication to his late grandmother. His goal celebration features in the FIFA video game series , first appearing in FIFA 14.

Indian vehicle art of Messi

• European Cup and UEFA Champions League records and statistics
• La Liga records and statistics
• List of FC Barcelona players
• List of FC Barcelona records and statistics
• List of FIFA World Cup winning players
• List of largest sports contracts
• List of men's footballers with 50 or more international goals
• List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
• List of men's footballers with 500 or more goals
• List of men's footballers with the most official appearances
• List of most-followed Instagram accounts
• List of most-liked Instagram posts
• List of top international men's football goalscorers by country
• List of players who have appeared in multiple FIFA World Cups
• List of association football rivalries
• This page was last modified on 17 May 2024, at 07:28. Suggest an edit .

Lionel Messi

Messi is widely recognized as one of the best players of all time. [7] . [8] [9]

His playing style and skills have been compared to the Argentine legend Diego Maradona . There is much competition between him and Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo . In 2009, Messi was included in the "World Player of the Decade 2000s", ranking second behind Ronaldinho but ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo. [10] Messi has played alongside many football greats, such as Ronaldinho, Deco , Samuel Eto'o , Luis Suárez , Xavi , Andrés Iniesta , Sergio Busquets , and Neymar . [11]

Messi played his first professional match at 16 years old on 16 November 2003 against Porto . He played the 2003-04 season with the Barcelona B team. He was promoted to the A team for the 2004-05 season, and made his league debut on 16 October 2004 against Espanyol as a substitute . He made his league debut at age 17, and became the youngest player to play for Barcelona's first team in an official competition. He scored his first professional goal on 1 May 2005 against Albacete Balompie from a sublime assist by Ronaldinho . The goal made him the youngest-ever scorer for the club at that time. Barcelona won the La Liga that season for the first time in 6 years, and won the league for a second time in a row along with the Spanish Super Cup and UEFA Champions League in 2006.

His first breakthrough season was in the 2006–07 season; he became a first team regular by scoring his first hat-trick of his career in El Clásico . On 18 April 2007, he scored a goal almost exactly identical to Maradona's "Goal of the Century" against England in the 1986 World Cup , where Maradona got the ball behind the halfway line on the right side and beat 4 defenders and the goalie to score. Messi's goal was similar to this; he received a pass from Xavi on the right side behind half-field, and then nut-megged an opponent and 4 others including the goalie before finishing off with his right foot inside the penalty box. [12] In 2019, Barcelona fans voted it as the best goal in the club's history, receiving 45% of votes. [13] After Ronaldinho left the club at the end of the 2007-08 season, Messi was handed the number 10 shirt. The 2008-09 season was arguably one of the most successful seasons in his stellar career. In this season, Messi scored 38 goals in all competitions, including one in the Champions League final against Manchester United that Barcelona won 2–0 as part of their treble . In the following 2009–10 season, Messi scored 47 goals in all competitions. That levelled to Ronaldo Nazario's record total for Barcelona. Messi also won his first Ballon d'Or in December 2009, and also won his second a year later. He scored again in the 2011 Champions League final against their same opponent two years earlier, Manchester United. Barcelona won 3-1. Messi won his third Ballon d'Or in a row that year.

• 1 Paris Saint-Germain
• 2 Inter Miami
• 3 International career
• 4 Argentina
• 5 Retirement
• 6 Return from Retirement
• 7 Personal life
• 8 Relationships
• 10 Tax Issues
• 11 Club career statistics
• 12 International career statistics
• 15 International
• 16 Individual
• 17 Lionel Messi Media
• 19 References

Paris Saint-Germain

After a situation involving FC Barcelona and their overwhelming wage bill, Messi made the most shocking transfer to the French football club Paris-Saint Germain .

Inter Miami

On 7 June 2023, Messi confirmed in an interview that he was joining Inter Miami of Major League Soccer (MLS). [14]

International career

Messi was allowed to play for both Spain and Argentina since he had dual-nationality, but he decided to play for his home country, Argentina. He led the team to the final game of the 2005 U-20 World Cup by scoring important goals in the knockout stages. Messi scored two goals in the final against Nigeria, and Argentina won 2–1. In addition to receiving a winner's medal, Messi was also awarded the Golden Shoe for most goals scored (6), and Golden Ball for best player.

Messi played his first game with the senior team on 17 August 2005 against Hungary . He came on as a substitute. However, he was shown a red card 45 seconds into the game for hitting an opponent in the face on accident while Messi was trying to pull the opponent off from his shirt. Messi scored his first goal for Argentina in a friendly match against Croatia on 1 March 2006. Argentina lost the game 3-2. [15] He was selected for the 2006 World Cup by coach José Pekerman . In Argentina's second game against Serbia , he became their youngest player to play at a World Cup. He also assisted a goal scored the last one in the 6–0 victory. That goal made him the youngest goalscorer in the 2006 World Cup.

Messi won the 2008 Olympics with Argentina as well, as he assisted Ángel Di Maria's goal in the final against Nigeria in Beijing . Messi was made captain of the national team in 2011. He scored his first hat-trick with the country in his 68th appearance during a 3-1 victory against Switzerland in February 2012. [16]

On 21 June 2016, he broke the top scoring record for Argentina by scoring his 55th goal with a gem of a free-kick against the United States in the Copa América Centenario. It was regarded as the best free-kick scored by Messi during his career. The record was previously held by Gabriel Batistuta with 54 goals. [16]

On 26 June, Argentina once again lost to Chile on penalties 4-2 in the Copa América Centenario final after a 0–0 tie. Messi missed his penalty in the penalty shootout . This was Messi's third consecutive defeat in a major tournament final with Argentina, and his fourth overall. A day after the match, Messi announced his retirement from international football. In an emotional interview after the game, he said he was very sad that he missed the penalty and also sad that he wasn't able to win any trophies in four finals. [17] [18] [19]

Return from Retirement

He came out of retirement in October 2016 for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers .

After a slow start to the 2018 FIFA World Cup , he helped Argentina qualify to the next round of the competition by scoring the first goal in the 2-1 win over Nigeria .

Jumping to 2021 with the new coach, Lionel Scaloni , Argentina won the Copa America in June. With Dimaria's goal in the 11th minute, they beat Brazil 1-0 in their home ground. Which was one of the main reasons for Messi winning the Ballon dO'r for the record 7th time and counting.

In the mid-year of 2022, Messi and the Argentina team along with Lionel Scaloni beat Italy 3-0 and won the Finalissma trophy.

In the winter of 2022, Messi won the World Cup after scoring 7 goals and providing 3 assists as well as winning the player of the tournament.

Personal life

Relationships.

Messi has three children with his wife Antonella Roccuzzo. They are named Thiago Messi, Mateo Messi and Ciro Messi. Thiago was born on 2 November 2012, Mateo was born on 11 September 2015 and Ciro was born on 10 March 2018. On the bottom of Messi's cleats is the name of his first son, Thiago.

Messi and Antonella married in June 2017. [20]

When not playing on the field, Messi finds time to do charity work. He started the Leo Messi Foundation in 2007 which helps children in at-risk situations. Messi also opened a kids park for children living in a hospital in Barcelona . He also donated 1 million euros for the Covid-19 virus in Barcelona.

In July 2016 he was convicted of tax fraud and sentenced to spend 21 months in prison. Messi was also fined two million Euros . [21] Messi never went to prison, and the problem was be solved with probation . He told the court he "only played football" and didn't know anything because he left his money problems to be dealt with by his father, Jorge Messi. [22]

Club career statistics

International career statistics.

• ↑ One appearance in UEFA Super Cup , two appearances in Supercopa de España
• ↑ One appearance in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance and two goals in Supercopa de España, two appearances and two goals in FIFA Club World Cup
• ↑ Appearance(s) in Supercopa de España
• ↑ One appearance and one goal in UEFA Super Cup, two appearances and three goals in Supercopa de España, two appearances and two goals in FIFA Club World Cup
• ↑ One appearance and two goals in UEFA Super Cup, two appearances and one goal in Supercopa de España, one appearance and one goal in FIFA Club World Cup
• ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Appearance(s) in FIFA World Cup qualification
• ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Appearance(s) in FIFA World Cup
• ↑ Six appearances and two goals in Copa América , four appearances and two goals in FIFA World Cup qualification
• ↑ Four appearances in Copa América, four appearances and two goals in FIFA World Cup qualification
• ↑ 10.0 10.1 Appearance(s) in Copa América
• ↑ Five appearances and three goals in FIFA World Cup qualification, five appearances and five goals in Copa América Centenario

Barcelona [25]

• 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

International

Argentina U20

• FIFA U-20 World Cup : 2005

Argentina Olympic team

• Summer Olympics : 2008

Argentina Senior team

• Copa America: 2021
• FIFA World Cup : 2022
• Ballon d'Or : 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2015 , 2019 , 2021, 2023 [26] [27] [28]
• FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2014 , 2022 [29]
• FIFA World Player of the Year : 2009 [28]
• The Best FIFA Men's Player : 2019 [30]
• European Golden Shoe : 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19 [31]
• Copa América Golden Ball: 2015 [32] [33] [34]
• UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award : 2011, 2015
• UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2009 [35]
• UEFA Club Forward of the Year: 2009, 2019 [35]
• La Liga Best Player : 2008–09 , 2009–10 , 2010–11 , 2011–12 , 2012–13 , 2014–15 [36] [37] [38]
• La Liga Best Forward : 2008–09 , 2009–10 , 2010–11 , 2011–12 , 2012–13 , 2014–15 , 2015–16 [36] [37] [38] [39]
• Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano (best player in Spain): 2008–09 , 2009–10 , 2010–11 , 2014–15 , 2016–17 , 2017–18 , 2018–19 [40]
• Pichichi Trophy : 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20 [41] [42] [43]
• FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2009 , 2011 [44]
• FIFA Club World Cup Silver Ball: 2015 [45]
• FIFA Club World Cup Final Most Valuable Player: 2009, 2011 [44]
• FIFA World Youth Championship Golden Ball : 2005 [46]
• FIFA World Youth Championship Golden Shoe : 2005 [46]
• IFFHS World's Best Playmaker: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 [47]
• IFFHS World's Best Top Division Goal Scorer: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018 [48]
• Argentine Footballer of the Year: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 [36] [49] [50] [51]
• Copa América Best Young Player : 2007 [52]
• FIFPro Young World Player of the Year : 2006, 2007, 2008 [52]
• Golden Boy : 2005 [53]
• FIFA FIFPro World11 : 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 [52] [54] [55] [56] [57] [58] [59]
• IFFHS World Team of the Year: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 [60]
• IFFHS World Team of the Decade 2011–2020 [60]
• IFFHS CONMEBOL Team of the Decade 2011–2020 [61]
• UEFA Team of the Year : 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2014 , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 , 2018 , 2019 , 2020 [35] [62] [63] [64] [65] [66]
• FIFA World Cup Dream Team : 2014 [67]
• Copa América Dream Team: 2007 , 2011 , 2015 , 2016 [68] [69] [70]
• Ballon d'Or Dream Team: 2020 [71]

Lionel Messi Media

Messi enrolled at Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia , aged 13.

A versatile forward, Messi often plays as a classic number 10 .

Messi is known to drop deep, link-up with midfielders, orchestrate attacking plays, and create goal-scoring opportunities.

Messi prepares to shoot with his dominant left foot in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final .

Messi has been compared with Cristiano Ronaldo (left) throughout much of their careers.

Messi's Argentina jersey, supplied by Adidas, was sold out worldwide during the 2022 World Cup.

After blessing himself , Messi often celebrates a goal by pointing a finger on each hand towards the sky in dedication to his late grandmother. His goal celebration features in the FIFA video game series , first appearing in FIFA 14 .

Indian vehicle art of Messi

Messi (pictured in 2007) has worked with UNICEF since 2004 and has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2010.

Messi ( Golden Ball winner ) pictured with future teammate Neymar (Bronze Ball winner) at the conclusion of the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup final

• ↑ Does not include an unofficial friendly match played on 24 May 2008 in Barcelona between Argentina U23 and the Catalonia national football team , [2] [3] as Catalonia is not affiliated with either FIFA or UEFA as a national member association and is therefore not allowed to participate in official competitions. [4]
• ↑ "La selección catalana pierde ante Argentina (0–1) en un partido marcado por la política" . El Mundo (in español). 24 May 2008. Archived from the original on 27 May 2008.
• ↑ "Fiesta y equilibrio" . Mundo Deportivo (in español). 25 May 2008. p. 18. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022.
• ↑ Hawkey, Ian (30 December 2013). "Catalonia and Basque Country reignite call for independent national football identities" . The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 28 December 2022 . Retrieved 28 December 2022 .
• ↑ Balani, Ayushi (12 August 2023). "Lionel Messi: Net worth 2023, luxury lifestyle, career, early life and everything about the football player" . Pinkvilla . https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/hollywood/lionel-messi-net-worth-1225252 . Retrieved 22 August 2023 .  
• ↑ "Lionel Messi Website" .
• ↑ zang, mary (2022-12-05). "LIONEL MESSI ADDRESSES FUTURE RETIREMENT In 2022" . Diva Magzine . Archived from the original on 2023-12-08 . Retrieved 2022-12-05 .
• ↑ "Messi tops Ronaldo, wins sixth Ballon d'Or award" . ESPN . 2 December 2019.
• ↑ "The Best FIFA Football Awards" . FIFA. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019 . Retrieved 15 November 2017 .
• ↑ "World Soccer" . 2010-05-16. Archived from the original on 16 May 2010 . Retrieved 2022-07-12 .

Messi was born at Hospital Provincial de Rosario in Rosario , Argentina . Messi is the third of four children of Jorge Messi and his wife Celia Cuccittini. He has two brothers named Rodrigo and Matias and two cousins named Maximiliano and Emanuel.

Messi's grandmother died when he was 12, and after that he generally celebrates his goals by pointing up in the sky in tribute of his grandmother.

Club career

Messi began football at a young age and his potential was quickly seen by Barcelona. He left Newell's Old Boys' youth team in September 2000 and moved with his family to Europe in February 2001. He officially signed with Barcelona in December 2000 on a napkin. They moved to Spain because Barcelona offered their help to treat his growth hormone deficiency, and Newell's didn't offer any help.<ref> Rakesh (2020-04-08). "Lionel Messi Biography| Family| Career| Net Worth" . Sportslibro.com . Retrieved 2020-09-12 .

• ↑ Messi Magic (7 June 2016). "Messi Solo Goal vs Getafe ► Best Possible 1080p Quality" . Youtube . Retrieved 9 March 2021 .
• ↑ "Messi's goal against Getafe is the best in Barça's history according to the fans" . www.fcbarcelona.com . 28 March 2019 . Retrieved 2021-03-09 .
• ↑ "Lionel Messi to join Inter Miami after leaving Paris St-Germain" . BBC Sport . Retrieved 9 June 2023 .
• ↑ "Croatia vs. Argentina 3-2 - Match Summary" . ESPN . 1 March 2006 . Retrieved 2020-06-26 .
• ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Messi breaks Argentina scoring record" . ESPN.com . 2016-06-22 . Retrieved 2021-03-09 .
• ↑ McKirdy, Euan (27 June 2016). " 'I think this is best for everyone,' Has Lionel Messi retired from Argentina duty?" . CNN . Retrieved 2021-03-09 .
• ↑ "Lionel Messi retires from Argentina after Copa America final loss to Chile" . ESPN.com . 2016-06-27 . Retrieved 2021-03-09 .
• ↑ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be last says Lionel Messi" . footballcoal.com . Archived from the original on 2022-10-18 . Retrieved 2022-05-21 .
• ↑ "Lionel Messi married his childhood sweetheart, and the photos are stunning" (in en-US). For The Win . 2017-07-01 . https://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/07/lionel-messi-wedding-childhood-sweetheart-antonela-roccuzzo-argentina-barcelona . Retrieved 2018-03-30 .  
• ↑ "Lionel Messi handed jail terms in Spain for tax frauds" . BBC News . 6 July 2016.
• ↑ "'I knew nothing', Messi tells court" (in en-GB). BBC News . 2016-06-02 . https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36433061 . Retrieved 2020-06-26 .  
• ↑ "Lionel Andrés Messi – Goals in International Matches" . RSSSF . Retrieved 23 June 2020 .
• ↑ "Lionel Messi: Player Profile" . ESPN FC . Retrieved 9 September 2020 .
• ↑ Lionel Messi at Barcelona's official website
• ↑ Magee, Will (2 December 2019). "Ballon d'Or: live updates from the ceremony as Lionel Messi and Virgil van Dijk compete for top award" . The Telegraph . ISSN   0307-1235 . https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/12/02/ballon-dorlive-updates-ceremony-lionel-messi-virgil-van-dijk/ . Retrieved 2 December 2019 .  
• ↑ "European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or")" . The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Retrieved 9 May 2017 .
• ↑ 28.0 28.1 "FIFA Ballon d'Or: History" . FIFA. Archived from the original on 28 September 2014 . Retrieved 13 September 2015 .
• ↑ "Messi, Neuer Heralded as Brazil 2014's Best" . FIFA. 13 July 2014. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018 . Retrieved 27 August 2015 .
• ↑ "The FIFA Football Awards Voting Results 2019" (PDF) . FIFA.com . Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 23 September 2019 . Retrieved 23 September 2019 .
• ↑ "Messi Wins Fifth Golden Shoe After Winning Pichichi Trophy" . Goal . 20 May 2018 . Retrieved 20 May 2018 .
• ↑ "BeIN Sports: Messi habría rechazado el MVP del torneo" [BeIN Sports: Messi reportedly rejects MVP award for tournament] (in español). AS.com. 5 July 2015 . Retrieved 5 July 2015 .
• ↑ "Lionel Messi allegedly refuses best player award at Copa America as trophy removed from ceremony" . The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 5 December 2015 .
• ↑ "Messi rechazó recoger el premio a MVP de la Copa América" . Marca (in español). Spain. 5 July 2015 . Retrieved 5 December 2015 .
• ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 "Profile: Lionel Messi" . UEFA . Retrieved 13 September 2015 .
• ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 Otero, Paul M. (12 November 2013) (in es). Palmarés de un Genio: El Coleccionista de Trofeos . Spain . http://www.marca.com/accesible/2013/11/12/futbol/equipos/barcelona/1384256483.html . Retrieved 13 September 2015 .  
• ↑ 37.0 37.1 "Messi, Mejor Delantero y Mejor Jugador" [Messi, Best Forward and Best Player] (in español). Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 2 December 2013. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015 . Retrieved 13 September 2015 .
• ↑ 38.0 38.1 "Lionel Messi, 2014–15 Liga BBVA Best Player" . Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 30 November 2015. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019 . Retrieved 8 January 2016 .
• ↑ "Lionel Messi named Best Striker in La Liga Santander 2015–16" . Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 24 October 2016. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019 . Retrieved 25 October 2016 .
• ↑ "The MARCA 2019 football awards: Messi collects sixth Pichichi" . Marca . 2019-12-16 . Retrieved 2020-12-29 .
• ↑ “Messi Wins Sixth Pichichi Trophy, Extends Lead in European Golden Boot Race” . Sports Illustrated , 19 May 2019
• ↑ "Messi equals Zarra's record with sixth Pichichi award" . Onefootball . Retrieved 8 April 2020 .
• ↑ "Leo Messi wins his seventh Pichichi, a LaLiga record" . FC Barcelona. 19 July 2020 . Retrieved 19 July 2020 .
• ↑ 44.0 44.1 "FIFA Club World Cup: Awards" . FIFA. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015.
• ↑ "Barcelona Trio Sweep Awards" . FIFA. 20 December 2015. Archived from the original on 20 December 2015 . Retrieved 8 January 2016 .
• ↑ 46.0 46.1 "FIFA World Youth Championship Netherlands 2005" . FIFA. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019 . Retrieved 27 August 2015 .
• ↑ "Former Results" . IFFHS. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019 . Retrieved 30 November 2019 .
• ↑ "IFFHS (International Federation of Football for History & Statistics" . iffhs.de . Archived from the original on 2021-01-28 . Retrieved 2020-12-29 .
• ↑ "Premios Olimpia 2015: La Judoca Paula Pareto se Llevó el Oro y los de Plata Fueron Para Messi, Marco Ruben, Andrés Nocioni y Adolfo Cambiaso" [Olympia Awards 2015: The Judoca Paula Pareto Took the Gold and Silver Was for Messi, Marco Ruben, Andrés Nocioni and Adolfo Cambiaso] (in español). LRA Radio Nacional. 23 December 2015 . Retrieved 8 January 2016 .
• ↑ (in es) Los Ganadores de Olimpia de Plata en Cada Deporte, con los Medallistas Dorados de Río entre los Destacados . 20 December 2016 . http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1968952-los-ganadores-de-olimpia-de-plata-en-cada-deporte-con-los-medallistas-dorados-de-rio-entre-los-destacados . Retrieved 21 December 2016 .  
• ↑ (in es) Delfina Pignatiello se quedó con el Olimpia de Oro . Buenos Aires. 20 December 2017 . https://tn.com.ar/deportes/esencial/delfina-pignatiello-se-quedo-con-el-olimpia-de-oro_841098 . Retrieved 26 January 2018 .  
• ↑ 52.0 52.1 52.2 Caioli 2012 , p. 248.
• ↑ Balagué 2013 , pp. 279–284.
• ↑ "FIFPro and FIFA Present the 2015 World XI" . FIFPro. 11 January 2016. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016 . Retrieved 12 February 2016 .
• ↑ "The Best named at FIFA Football Awards" . FIFA. 9 January 2017. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018 . Retrieved 12 January 2017 .
• ↑ "FIFA FIFPro World11" . FIFA. 24 October 2017. Archived from the original on 14 April 2018 . Retrieved 24 October 2017 .
• ↑ "DE GEA, KANTE AND MBAPPE IN WORLD 11" . FIFPro World Players' Union . 24 September 2018. Archived from the original on 11 September 2019 . Retrieved 25 September 2018 .
• ↑ "VAN DIJK AMONG FOUR DEBUTANTS IN MEN'S WORLD 11" . FIFPro World Players' Union . 23 September 2019. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019 . Retrieved 2 March 2021 .
• ↑ "The FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11 of 2019-2020 - FIFPRO World Players' Union" . FIFPRO . 2020-12-17 . Retrieved 2020-12-18 .
• ↑ 60.0 60.1 "IFFHS (International Federation of Football for History & Statistics" . www.iffhs.de . Archived from the original on 2021-02-07 . Retrieved 2021-01-31 .
• ↑ "IFFHS MAN TEAM - CONMEBOL - OF THE DECADE 2011-2020" . IFFHS . 26 January 2021. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021 . Retrieved 2 March 2021 .
• ↑ "Team of the Year 2015: Lionel Messi" . UEFA. 8 January 2016. Archived from the original on 20 January 2016 . Retrieved 8 January 2016 .
• ↑ "Facts and figures: UEFA.com Team of the Year 2017" . UEFA.com: The official website for European football . UEFA. 11 January 2018 . Retrieved 13 January 2018 .
• ↑ "UEFA.com fans' Team of the Year 2018 revealed" . UEFA.com: The official website for European football . UEFA. 11 January 2019 . Retrieved 11 January 2019 .
• ↑ "UEFA.com fans' Team of the Year 2019 revealed" . UEFA.com: The official website for European football . UEFA. 15 January 2020 . Retrieved 15 January 2020 .
• ↑ "UEFA.com Fans' Teams of the Year 2020 announced" . UEFA.com: The official website for European football . UEFA. 20 January 2021 . Retrieved 20 January 2021 .
• ↑ "Dream Team Winners Earn Sony Prizes" . FIFA. 23 July 2014. Archived from the original on 23 July 2014 . Retrieved 27 August 2015 .
• ↑ (in es) El Once Ideal de la Copa América . 16 July 2007 . http://larepublica.pe/16-07-2007/el-once-ideal-de-la-copa-america . Retrieved 16 February 2016 .  
• ↑ "The Copa América 2011 Dream Team" . Copa America Organisation. 8 June 2015. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015 . Retrieved 13 September 2015 .
• ↑ "Copa América 2015: Team of the Tournament" . Copa América Organisation. 5 July 2015. Archived from the original on 2 September 2015 . Retrieved 27 August 2015 .
• ↑ Crépin, Timothé (14 December 2020). "Ballon d'Or Dream Team : Découvrez les révélations de ce onze de légende !" . France Football (in français) . Retrieved 14 December 2020 .

Lionel Messi: Facts and Information

Here are some facts about Lionel Messi, the incredible Argentinian footballer.

• Lionel Messi was born on 24th June 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe Province, Argentina.
• His father, Jorge, was a steelworker, and he also coached the local youth football team.
• Messi played for Grandoli (his father’s club) at the age of five. He then went on to play for Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario, his home town. This team only lost one game in four years.
• Messi suffered with growth hormone deficiency. Barcelona gave Messi a trial when he was eleven and agreed to give him a place in their youth academy as well as paying the medical bills for his treatment for growth hormone deficiency. Messi moved to Spain with his father.
• Messi made his league debut for Barcelona on 16th October 2004. He was just 17.
• Messi scored his first La Liga goal on 1st May 2005.
• At the time of writing, Messi has scored more than 700 goals for Barcelona and Argentina, more than 400 of them in La Liga matches.
• He has made more than 140 appearances for Argentina, scoring more than 70 goals.
• Messi has won many trophies with Barcelona and he’s been awarded many personal medals and awards, such as the Ballon d’Or a record 6 times.
• He also owns most of Barcelona’s goal-scoring records.
• He has scored more than 30 hat-tricks in his career.
• Messi was the top scorer in the Champions League in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
• He’s considered by most football experts to be the best footballer of his generation, although some would argue that Ronaldo is better.
• Lionel Messi is 5′ 7″ tall (1.69 metres) and he wears the number 10 shirt for Barcelona.
• He has won more than 30 trophies (including 10 La Liga titles).
• Messi has more than 180 assists in his career.
• He has three sons with his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo. They are called Thaigo, Mateo and Ciro.

• In September 2020, a 2004 Panini Mega Cracks Lionel Messi Rookie Card sold for over $100,000.
• A popular cougar at the Saransk Zoo in Mordovia, Russia is named Messi. after the player.
• Red is his favourite colour.
• His favourite musician is Sergio Torres, and his favourite book is El Martin Fierro by Jorge Luis Borges.

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Biography Online

Lionel Messi Biography

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

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

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

– Diego Maradona

Short Biography Lionel Messi

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

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

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

– Lionel Messi

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

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

– Gerd Muller

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

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

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

International Career

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Messi and Ronaldo

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

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

— Christiano Ronaldo , in September 2011

Messi’s goalscoring record

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

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

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

Messi major honours

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

Wealth and income

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

Private life

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

Lionel Messi – Real Bios at Amazon by Marie Morreale.

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

World Cup 2014

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

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

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

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

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

World Cup 2022

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

Published 10 January 2018. Last updated 30 November 2022

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

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

The Amazing Story of Leo Messi

The Amazing Story of Leo Messi at Amazon

Lionel Messi: The Rise to Stardom. at Amazon

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LKS2 - Lionel Messi Reading Comprehension & Biography Bundle

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Resources included (2)

Year 3 or Year 4 Lionel Messi Reading Comprehension Activity

Year 3 or Year 4 Lionel Messi Biography Writing Activity

Two great activities that would span five lessons about the life of Argentinian soccer superstar, Lionel Messi. Perfect for students in Year 3 or Year 4. NO PREP is needed!

Firstly, there is a reading comprehension activity where children need to read through an informational text, and then answer comprehension and grammar questions, before completing an extension activity. Secondly, there is a biography writing unit which has been split into four separate lessons of reading, sorting and writing.

Included in the close reading activity:

• An informational text
• A comprehension activity with ten varied questions
• Two grammar questions about the text
• An extension writing activity
• An answer page for self-assessment or teacher use
• A crossword puzzle & wordsearch activity

Included in the biography writing unit:

• Three fact sheets which students need to cut out and sort into paragraphs
• Writing templates for four draft paragraphs
• Two prompt sheets for students to write their introduction and conclusion
• A template for students to write up their neat biography text

This resource is great for:

• In class learning
• Independent work
• Creative writing sessions
• Guided reading sessions
• Reading & writing interventions
• Assessment practice
• Emergency sub plans

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For more great activities check out Creative Primary Literacy !

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Lionel Messi Biography For Students And Children

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Lionel Andres Messi (born June 24, 1987 in Rosario) is an Argentine football (soccer) player.

Lionel Messi started playing football at a very early age in his hometown’s Newell’s Old Boys. From the age of 11, he suffered from a hormone deficiency and as Lionel’s parents were unable to pay for the treatment in Argentina, they decided to move to Barcelona, Spain.

Argentina native Lionel Messi has established records for goals scored and won individual awards en route to worldwide recognition as one of the best players in soccer.

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 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).

With several first team players seriously injured, the services of several reserve team players were called upon, and Messi became a regular feature of Barça squads. On May 1, 2005, he became the youngest player ever to score a league goal for FC Barcelona – against Albacete when Messi was only 17 years, 10 months and 7 days old.

Lionel Messi ● Top 10 Skills & Top 10 Goals

He was offered the chance to play for the Spain national football team, but declined, preferring to wait for the opportunity to play for the country of his birth. In June 2004 he got his chance, playing in a U-20 friendly match against Paraguay.

In June 2005 he starred for the Argentina U-20 team that won the Football World Youth Championship played in The Netherlands. Messi picked up the Golden Boot as top scorer with 6 goals, and the Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament. Despite his youth, Lionel has already drawn comparisons with Diego Maradona, arguably the best football player of all time.

On September 25, 2005 Messi obtained a Spanish citizenship and was finally able to make his debut in this season’s Spanish First Division. He had previously been unable to play because FC Barcelona had filled up all of their quota of non-EU players.

Messi’s first outing in the UEFA Champions League at the Nou Camp was on Sept 28 against Italian club Udinese. He impressed with some great passing and a seemingly telepathic relationship with Ronaldinho that earned him a standing ovation from the 70,000-odd Nou Camp faithful. On December of that year, the Italian newspaper Tuttosport awarded him the Golden Boy 2005 title for the best under-21 player in Europe, over Wayne Rooney and Lukas Podolski.

In September 2005, Messi was given an improved and extended contract until 2014.

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Kick Off Learning: Lionel Messi Biography Reading Comprehension Worksheet

Description

Explore the incredible life story of Lionel Messi, one of the greatest soccer players of all time, through this comprehensive biography worksheet. Designed for students of various ages, this resource delves into Messi's childhood, his move to Barcelona, and his legendary career milestones. Engage your students with thought-provoking questions, fun activities, and a glimpse into the personal side of this soccer superstar. Use "Kick Off Learning: Lionel Messi Biography Reading Comprehension Worksheet" to inspire discussions about resilience, sportsmanship, and the pursuit of excellence in both sports and life. An exciting addition to your classroom resources!

Terms of Use: This resource is intended for personal or classroom use only. It may not be shared, modified, or resold in any form.

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Lionel Messi

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

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1987-present

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

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

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

Quick Facts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FC Barcelona

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Paris Saint-Germain

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

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

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

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

Inter Miami CF

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Tyler Piccotti first joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor in February 2023, and before that worked almost eight years as a newspaper reporter and copy editor. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. When he's not writing and researching his next story, you can find him at the nearest amusement park, catching the latest movie, or cheering on his favorite sports teams.

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