A KING WAS BORN FROM ARGENTINA

Lionel Andrés Messi was born in Rosario, Argentina. He is an Argentinian soccer player who plays forward for Paris Saint-Germain and the Argentina National Team. Messi formerly played for F.C. Barcelona. He began playing soccer at a young age, and his talent was instantly recognized. At 11, Messi was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency, a condition that stunted growth. He required expensive medical treatment. River Plate, his local team, was interested in signing him. However, they were unwilling to pay for his medical treatment. F.C. Barcelona gave him a trial. The coach was so impressed by Messi that he proposed a contract that included paying for his therapy in Spain. Messi moved to Barcelona with his father and joined the prestigious F.C. Barcelona Youth Academy.

Messi progressed through the ranks and debuted in the 2004/2005 season. He became the youngest player to score a league goal. In 2006, he was part of the double-winning team that won the La Liga and Champions League. By the next season (2006 to 2007), 20-year-old Messi was the first-choice striker and an essential part of Barcelona's team. He scored 14 goals in 26 league games. In 2006, he played in the World Cup for Argentina, becoming the country's youngest player to do so. Messi earned an Olympic gold medal in football for Argentina in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. As the seasons went by, Messi kept improving and breaking his records. In 2012, Messi broke the all-time world record for most goals scored in a calendar year. At the end of 2012, Messi turned down a lucrative offer to play for an unnamed Russian side because he was unsure he would be playing in major European championships. Instead, he signed a contract with Barcelona to remain till the end of 2018. Messi expressed his allegiance to Barcelona when asked about a move to the English Premier League.

In 2021, he moved to Paris-Saint Germain as F.C. Barcelona could not afford to renew his contract. This free transfer shocked the world. Messi is one of the most exciting players of our time. He dribbles and takes on opponents like no one else. "I've seen great players in my career, but I've never seen anyone with Messi's ball control. The ball stays attached to his foot," Maradona said of Messi's ball control.

Messi married Antonella Roccuzzo, his longtime sweetheart, on June 30, 2017. The couple has three children together ― Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro.

Messi first met Roccuzzo in their hometown, Rosario, when he was five years old. "Clarín" called their civil wedding the 'wedding of the century.' It took place at a fancy hotel in Rosario. Colombian pop sensation, Shakira, and famous soccer players were in attendance.

Messi Signs a Contract

F.C. Barcelona offers Messi a youth contract.

2003

His First Team Debut

Messi makes his debut in a friendly against Porto at 16.

2004

La Liga Title Win

Messi wins the La Liga title for the first time.

2012

Barcelona's All-time Top Scorer

Messi surpasses Pele as Barcelona's leading scorer with goal #231.

2017

His Best Goal

Messi scores his best goal ― it's against Getafe.

F.C. Barcelona's Captain

Messi becomes Barcelona's captain, succeeding Andres Iniesta.

2020

Goal #700

Messi's Barca and Argentina national team stats are combined.

2021

He Joins Paris-Saint Germain

Messi leaves Barcelona and joins P.S.G.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation was keen to rope Messi in for the Spanish under-17 side. Messi, an Argentine at heart, declined the offer. He only wants to represent his native country.

Messi is the Goodwill Ambassador for U.N.I.C.E.F. We love the fact that this star goes beyond his role and tries to make the world a better place.

Messi has always been with one woman. He's never made the news for infidelity.

Suprising fact about Leo Messi

His first contract was on a napkin.

Messi's initial contract with Barcelona was written on a napkin.

He never watches himself

Although everyone enjoys watching Messi play, he never watches highlights of himself.

He's a devout Roman Catholic

Messi met with Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2013.

He loves music

His favourite musical genres are Samba and Cumbia.

He dedicates his goals to his grandmother

Messi's goals are dedicated to his late grandmother who first noticed his talent and took him to the football pitch to ensure it didn't go to waste.

Leo Messi's journey to the world cup wasn't quite easy but he finally fulfilled his dreams.

Messi finally claimed the World Cup on the fifth attempt in Qatar, and the Argentinian superstar broke a number of records on the way.

For players like Lionel Messi, there is no greater stage the World Cup.

And at 35, in his fifth and final appearance in the men's football showpiece, he finally claimed the trophy that had eluded him for so long.

In a stellar career, Messi has rewritten the record books for club and country. And he continued to do so in Qatar as he cemented his reputation as one of the greatest players ever to lace up a pair of boots.

Messi made his 22nd World Cup appearance for Argentina in their final group game against Poland, overtaking the late Diego Maradona's previous record for tournament appearances for his country

Messi took his tally to 26 in the final, passing Lothar Matthaus for record appearances at the World Cup Finals with 10 goals across several World Cup tournaments, Gabriel Batistuta had led the way for Argentinian marksmen.

But Messi's penalty in the semi-final against Croatia saw him overtake 'Batigol' with his 11th goal in his fifth World Cup.

And his two goals in the final took him to 13 placing him joint-fourth on the all-time list. He had previously found the net against Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Australia and the Netherlands.

Miroslav Klose holds the record of 16 World Cup goals.

On gameday two, Argentina faced a must-win encounter with Mexico having fallen to a shock defeat against Saudi Arabia in their tournament opener.

With the hopes of a nation on his shoulders, Messi stepped up.

His long-range strike opened the scoring, before assisting Enzo Fernandez's wonder goal which sealed all three points.

That lay-off for the second goal would see him become the first player to assist at five separate men's World Cup tournaments – 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and now 2022.

But that wasn't the only bit of history he made by creating that goal.

Having already scored, the pass saw him become both the youngest and oldest player to score and assist in a single World Cup match in the history of the competition – he did against Serbia in 2006 when he was 18, and now against Mexico at 35.

His amazing pass to set up Nahuel Molina's opener against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals is in the runnng for best assist of the tournament.

And in the semi-finals, his superb run and pull-back for Julian Alvarez to score Argentina's third against Croatia saw him match Maradona's Argentinian record eight assists at World Cups.

Messi did break another of Maradona's records in Qatar.

The hero of 1986 wore the captain's armband 16 times for his nation at the World Cup. Messi matched that tally in the semi-finals before eclipsing it in the final.

And it was somewhat fitting that, in the first World Cup since Maradona's passing, his most illustrious successor in the number 10 shirt inspired Argentina to the World Cup glory.

Finally the young King lift up the trophy.

This message inspires us to never give up in life but hardwork pays a lot.