Lionel
Messi
was
born,
24 June
1987,
in
Rosario,
Argentina to a working class family. His father
was a factory steel worker, and his mother a
cleaner.
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.
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 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
Messi
progressed through the ranks and was given
his first appearance in the 2004/05 season
becoming the youngest player to score a
league goal. In 2006, Messi was part of the
double winning team which won both La Liga
(Spanish League) and Champions League . By
next season, (2006-07) aged just 20, Messi
was the first choice striker and a key part of
the Barcelona team – scoring 14 goals in 26
league games.
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 calender
year of 2012, he broke the all time world
record for most goals scored in a calender
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 €250million). 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 1918. 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.”
– Lionel Messi
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 not dirty, and
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)
– Lionel Messi
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 goal scorer 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 goal scoring record
By any standards, Messi’s goal scoring record
is exceptional. By February 2013, he has
scored 301 goals in 365 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 calender year – 86
goals during 2012.
He is the only player to score in four
consecutive Champions League
campaigns.
As of February 2014, Messi has scored
343 club goals out of 434 appearances
(including Barcelona B team)
His international record for Argentina is
37 goals from 83 appearances.
Messi major honours
Barcelona
Spanish La Liga title(*6) : 2004–05,
2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–
11, 2012–13
Spanish cup (*2)– Copa del Rey: 2008–
09, 2011–12; Runner-up 2010–11
Supercopa de España (*6): 2005,
2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013;
Runner-up 2012
UEFA Champions League (*3) : 2005–
06, 2008–09, 2010–11
UEFA Super Cup (*2): 2009, 2011;
Runner-up 2006
FIFA Club World Cup (2): 2009, 2011
Argentina
Olympic Gold Medal: 2008
FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005
2006 World cup – QF
2010 World cup – QF
2014 World cup – Runners up.
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 €16
million net a year, until 2018. His net wealth
is estimated at €110m.
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
one child Thiago, born in November 2012.
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.”
Stats.
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

The little pea became a monster that terrifies huge defenders