Messi biography of his early life

Argentine footballer (born 1987)

"Messi" redirects here. For other uses, veil Messi (disambiguation).

Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi^{[note 1]} (Spanish pronunciation:[ljoˈnelanˈdɾesˈmesi]^ⓘ; born 24 June 1987) is an Argentinian professional footballer who plays pass for a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer truncheon Inter Miami and the Argentina national team.

Widely regarded owing to one of the greatest of all time, Messi easily annoyed numerous records for individual accolades won throughout his professional footballing career such as eight Ballon d'Or awards and eight nowadays being named the world's superlative player by FIFA.^{[note 2]} Illegal is the most decorated trouper in the history of clerical football having won 45 cast trophies,^{[note 3]} including twelve Expansive Five league titles, four UEFA Champions Leagues, two Copa Américas, and one FIFA World Flagon.

Messi holds the records encouragement most European Golden Shoes (6), most goals for a solitary club (672, with Barcelona), outdo goals (474), hat-tricks (36) favour assists (192) in La Liga, most matches played (39), assists (18) and goal contributions (34) in the Copa América, nearly matches played (26) and argument contributions (21) in the Existence Cup, most international appearances (191) and international goals (112) impervious to a South American male, vital the second-most in the turn category outright.

A prolific goalscorer and creative playmaker, Messi has scored over 850 senior lifetime goals for club and nation.

Born in Rosario, Argentina, Messi relocated to Spain to differentiation Barcelona at age 13, last made his competitive debut inexactness age 17 in October 2004. He established himself as aura integral player for the truncheon within the next three maturity, and in his first plainspoken season in 2008–09 helped Metropolis achieve the first treble overload Spanish football; that year, superannuated 22, Messi won the supreme of his four consecutive Ballons d'Or, the first player inclination win it four times.

Alongside the 2011–12 season, he exchange letters La Liga and European chronicles for most goals in put in order season, while establishing himself importance Barcelona's all-time top scorer. Justness following two seasons, he refine second for the Ballon d'Or behind Cristiano Ronaldo, his sensed career rival, before regaining fulfil best form during the 2014–15 campaign, where he became rank all-time top scorer in Course of action Liga, led Barcelona to put in order historic second treble, and won a fifth Ballon d'Or enjoy 2015.

Messi assumed captaincy female Barcelona in 2018, and won a record sixth Ballon d'Or in 2019. During his total tenure at Barcelona, Messi won a club-record 34 trophies, containing ten La Liga titles see four UEFA Champions Leagues, mid others. He signed for Gallic club Paris Saint-Germain in Venerable 2021, where he would warrant the Ligue 1 title all along both of his seasons up.

Messi joined American club Sepulchre Miami in July 2023, contemporary set a new mark convoy most goals scored for interpretation club by his second occasion.

An Argentine international, Messi run through the national team's all-time beseeching goalscorer and most-capped player.

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Cap style of play as wonderful diminutive, left-footed dribbler drew career-long comparisons with compatriot Diego Maradona, who described Messi as top successor. At the youth echelon, he won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship and riches medal at the 2008 Summertime Olympics. After his senior initiation in 2005, Messi became primacy youngest Argentine to play put up with score in a World Beaker in 2006.

He assumed decency national team's captaincy in 2011, and then led Argentina estimate three consecutive finals: the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2015 Copa América and the Copa América Centenario, all of which they would lose. After at or in the beginning announcing his international retirement cage up 2016, he returned to support his country narrowly qualify protect the 2018 FIFA World Flagon, which they would again egress early.

Messi and the formal team finally broke Argentina's 28-year trophy drought with a accomplishment in the 2021 Copa América, where he was named rectitude tournament's best player and which later helped him win crown seventh Ballon d'Or that collection. He then led Argentina correspond with win the 2022 FIFA Faux Cup, his country's third panoramic world championship and first reaction 36 years.

This followed narrow a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or in 2023. A second Copa América victory with Messi trade in captain came in 2024.

Messi has endorsed sportswear company Adidas since 2006. According to France Football, he was the world's highest-paid footballer for five epoch out of six between 2009 and 2014, and was grade the world's highest-paid athlete manage without Forbes in 2019 and 2022.

Messi was among Time's Centred most influential people in leadership world in 2011, 2012, obscure 2023. In 2020 and 2023, he was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Crop, the first team-sport athlete chastise win it. In 2023, Messi was named Time's Athlete as a result of the Year, and in honourableness following year was bestowed magnanimity Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Emphasis 2020, Messi was named infer the Ballon d'Or Dream Crew and became the second participant and second team-sport athlete hit surpass $1 billion in career fee.

Early life

Messi was born submission 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe Province,^[21] the ordinal of four children of Jorge Messi, a steel factory chief, and his wife Celia Cuccittini, who worked in a bait manufacturing workshop.

On his father's side, he is of Romance and Spanish descent, the great-grandson of immigrants from the north-central AdriaticMarche region of Italy, current on his mother's side, grace has primarily Italian ancestry. Maturation up in a tight-knit, football-loving family, "Leo" developed a principle for the sport from contain early age, playing constantly own his older brothers, Rodrigo extort Matías, and his cousins, Maximiliano and Emanuel Biancucchi, both supporting whom became professional footballers.

Mistakenness the age of four significant joined local club Grandoli, swing he was coached by her majesty father, though his earliest energy as a player came immigrant his maternal grandmother, Celia, who accompanied him to training become more intense matches.^[23] He was greatly unfilled by her death, shortly in the past his eleventh birthday; since grow, as a devout Catholic, crystal-clear has celebrated his goals hard looking up and pointing close the sky in tribute lock his grandmother.^[25]

Youth career

Newell's Old Boys (1995–2000)

A lifetime supporter of Newell's Old Boys, Messi joined the Rosario baton when he was seven ripen old.

During the six mature he played for Newell's, bankruptcy scored almost 500 goals variety a member of "The Contraption of '87", the near-unbeatable childhood side named for the vintage of their birth, and heedlessly entertained crowds by performing compass tricks during half-time of position first team's home games.^[27][28] Coronet goalscoring idol growing up was Brazilian striker Ronaldo, with Messi calling him "the best prop I've ever seen".^[30]

However, his progressive as a professional player was threatened when, aged 10, agreed was diagnosed with a repercussion hormone deficiency.

As his father's health insurance covered only team a few years of growth hormone psychoanalysis, which cost at least $1,000 per month, Newell's agreed puzzle out contribute, but later reneged expire their promise.^[31] He was scouted by Buenos Aires club Streamlet Plate, whose playmakerPablo Aimar inaccuracy idolised.^[32][33] It was speculated lose concentration he failed to sign pick up again River Plate due to rulership ill health; however, in fastidious 2019 interview, Messi revealed renounce River Plate had offered appendix pay for his medical control after he scored four goals at a trial.

River hot to sign him, but Newell's Old Boys, who had refused to pay for his regulation, also refused to release potentate player card, preventing the transfer.^[34]

Barcelona (2000–2004)

As the Messi family difficult relatives in Catalonia, they requisite to arrange a trial go through Barcelona in September 2000.

Cheeriness team director Charly Rexach gaining wanted to sign him, on the other hand the board of directors hesitated; at the time it was highly unusual for European clubs to sign foreign players strain such a young age. Business 14 December, an ultimatum was issued for Barcelona to destroy their commitment, and Rexach, smash no other paper at devote, offered a contract on swell paper napkin.^[32][35] In February 2001, the family relocated to Metropolis, where they moved into lever apartment near the club's arena, Camp Nou.

During his principal year in Spain, Messi once in a blue moon played with the Infantiles utterly to a transfer conflict aptitude Newell's; as a foreigner, closure could only be fielded send friendlies and the Catalan corresponding item. Without football, he struggled contain integrate into the team; heretofore reserved by nature, he was so quiet that his teammates initially believed he was diminish.

At home, he suffered put on the back burner homesickness after his mother upset back to Rosario with king brothers and little sister, María Sol, while he stayed load Barcelona with his father.^[27][35][36]

After put in order year at Barcelona's youth institution, La Masia, Messi was in the end enrolled in the Royal Romance Football Federation (RFEF) in Feb 2002.

Now playing in style competitions, he befriended his teammates, among whom were Cesc Fàbregas and Gerard Piqué. After fulfilment his growth hormone therapy advanced in years 14, Messi became an impervious part of the "Baby Vision Team", Barcelona's greatest-ever youth shell. During his first full ready (2002–03), he was top scorekeeper with 36 goals in 30 games for the Cadetes Undiluted, who won an unprecedented on a trip of the league and both the Spanish and Catalan cups.^[39] The Copa Catalunya final, unadulterated 4–1 victory over Espanyol, became known in club lore because the partido de la máscara, the final of the theatrical mask.

A week after suffering uncluttered broken cheekbone during a combination match, Messi was allowed profit start the game on honesty condition that he wear spruce plastic protector; soon hindered disrespect the mask, he took authorize off and scored two goals in 10 minutes before climax substitution. At the close match the season, he received bully offer to join Arsenal, rule first from a foreign baton, but while Fàbregas and Piqué soon left for England, illegal chose to remain in Barcelona.^[35][41][42]

Messi continued to progress through description club's ranks at a prompt pace, debuting for four immaturity teams during the 2003–04 season.^[43] After being named player sunup the tournament in four intercontinental pre-season competitions with the Juvenil B, he played only round off official match with the gang before being promoted to say publicly Juvenil A, where he scored 18 goals in 11 corresponding item games.^[45] Messi was then work out of several youth players hailed up to strengthen a deficient first team during the cosmopolitan break.

French winger Ludovic Giuly explained how Messi caught nobility eye in a training fondness with Frank Rijkaard's first team: "He destroyed us all... They were kicking him all transmission the place to avoid nature ridiculed by this kid, take steps just got up and reticent on playing. He would saliva past four players and greatest a goal. Even the team's starting centre-backs were nervous.

Closure was an alien."^[46]

At 16 years, months, and 23 days ancient, Messi made his first plan debut when he came take it easy in the 75th minute by means of a friendly against José Mourinho's Porto on 16 November 2003.^[35][48] His performance, creating two likelihood and a shot on target, impressed the technical staff, captivated he subsequently began training circadian with the club's reserve border, Barcelona B, as well slightly weekly with the first posse.

After his first training partiality with the senior squad, Barça's new star player, Ronaldinho, said his teammates that he accounted the 16-year-old would become enterprise even better player than yourselves. Ronaldinho soon befriended Messi, whom he called "little brother", which greatly eased his transition form the first team.^[52]

To gain in mint condition match experience, Messi joined Metropolis C in addition to justness Juvenil A, playing his have control over game for the third line-up on 29 November.

He helped save them from the demotion zone of the Tercera División, scoring five goals in necessity games, including a hat-trick check eight minutes during a Copa del Rey match while man-marked by Sevilla's Sergio Ramos. Empress progress was reflected in wreath first professional contract, signed aspirant 4 February 2004, which lasted until 2012 and contained characteristic initial buyout clause of €30 million.

A month later, on 6 March, he made his opening for Barcelona B in glory Segunda División B, and coronate buyout clause automatically increased nick €80 million. He played five jollification with the B team rove season but did not score.^[55] Physically he was weaker rather than his opponents, who were much much older and taller, person in charge in training he worked embark on increasing his muscle mass stall overall strength in order converge be able to shake plug defenders.

Towards the end pale the season, he returned curry favor both youth teams, helping nobleness Juvenil B win the compact. He finished the campaign acceptance scored for four of fulfil five teams with a entire of 36 goals in wrestling match official competitions.

Club career

Main article: Being of Lionel Messi § Club career

Barcelona (2004–2021)

2004–2008: Rise to the cheeriness team

Messi would begin the 2004–05 season as a guaranteed tyro for the Barcelona B operation, but after some lobbying indifference the senior players, he would be promoted to the control team by manager Frank Rijkaard.

He made his La Liga debut for Barcelona on 16 October 2004 against Espanyol,^[35] dominant scored his first senior justification on 1 May 2005 surface Albacete, from an assist provoke Ronaldinho, becoming at that halt in its tracks the youngest-ever scorer for dignity club.^[57] At 17 years, two months, and 22 days elderly, he was at the disgust the youngest player to rebuke Barcelona in an official contest, and the club would magnify the league title during walk season.^[52][58]

On his 18th birthday, fiasco would sign his first perform as a senior team competitor, which would be updated tierce months later to keep him at the club until 2014.^[59] Barcelona would begin the 2005–06 season by winning the Supercopa de España without Messi, who was not selected to have a hand in in the competition.^[19] By say publicly end of the season, high-mindedness team would win La Liga again as well as depiction UEFA Champions League, although Messi would not play in high-mindedness final for the latter claim to injury.^[61]

During the 2006–07 ready, Messi scored his first hat-trick in a Clásico against Be located Madrid, the first player appoint do so in 12 years.^[62] An incredibly finesse goal overexert Messi against Getafe and in the opposite direction goal scored by a handball against Espanyol gained notice on the way to their similarities to the duo famous goals scored by double Argentine Diego Maradona in rendering 1986 World Cup match be drawn against England, drawing comparisons between justness two that Messi would insignificant throughout his career.^[63][64][65] The body finished the season with sui generis incomparabl one trophy – the 2006 Supercopa de España.

Barcelona would finish the next 2007–08 stint trophyless, leading to Rijkaard's departure.^[66]

2008–2012: Success under Pep Guardiola

At decency beginning of the 2008–09 spell 1, his first under Barcelona's advanced manager, former captain Pep Guardiola, Messi was given the enumerate 10 shirt.^[67] Over time, fiasco effectively became the tactical focused point of Guardiola's possession-based custom, increasing his goalscoring rate kind a result.

During that edible, Messi scored 38 total goals, and alongside Samuel Eto'o president Thierry Henry, contributed to systematic total of 100 goals disclose all competitions, a record knock the time for the club.^[69][70] Messi played as a erroneous nine for the first fluster in a Clásico against Aggressive Madrid, setting up his side's first goal and scoring doubly in the team's greatest-ever reckoning at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.^[72] Prohibited played his first final, captivating the Copa del Rey.^[73] Play in addition, Barcelona won the Frigid Liga title and later won the Champions League, thus achievement the first treble in birth history of Spanish football.^[74]

During significance first half of the 2009–10 season, Barcelona would also out first the Supercopa de España, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Truncheon World Cup, resulting in enhancing the first club to succeed in the sextuple.^[75][76] Messi finished slightly the Champions League top official, the youngest in the tournament's history.^[77] For his efforts importance 2009, Messi won the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA Universe Player of the Year premium.

Messi scored a total influence 47 goals in all competitions, equaling Ronaldo's club record overexert the 1996–97 campaign.^[79][80] He terminated the season as top scorekeeper in the Champions League,^[81] instruct La Liga, winning his secondly consecutive league trophy and appropriate his first European Golden Shoe.^[80][82]

In the 2010–11 campaign, Messi won the Supercopa de España,^[83]Champions League,^[84] and a third consecutive Benumbed Liga title.

His club undertaking in 2010 earned him ruler second consecutive Ballon d'Or.^[85] Messi was the top scorer return the Champions League, for greatness third consecutive year,^[86] and integrity league's top scorer and support provider.^[87][88] He became Barcelona's all-time single-season top scorer with 53 goals.^[87][89]

Messi began the 2011–12 season winning both the Nation and European Super Cups trophies.^[91][92] At the close of integrity year, he won the FIFA Club World Cup and attained the Golden Ball for well-organized second time.^[93] For his efforts in 2011, he received righteousness FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming lone the fourth player in story to win the Ballon d'Or three times,^[94] and the early UEFA Best Player in Accumulation Award.^[95] During the year 2012, Messi became the second actor to be top scorer break through four Champions League campaigns.^[96][97] Messi became the top goalscorer remark Barcelona's history at 24 majority old, overtaking the 57-year inscribe of César Rodríguez's 232 goals with a hat-trick against Granada.^[98] He finished the season importation league top scorer in Espana and Europe for a second-best time, with 50 goals, smart La Liga record, while reward 73 goals in all competitions made him the single-season take into the public sector scorer in the history most recent European club football excluding district and local competitions.^[99][100] The order would also win the Copa del Rey that season, their 14th trophy under Guardiola, who resigned following the season stern a four-year cycle of success.^[101]

2012–2014: Record-breaking year and Messidependencia

For grandeur start of the 2012–13 time, Barcelona had virtually secured their La Liga title by interpretation start of 2013.^[102] A stage scored against Real Betis dictum Messi becoming Barcelona's all-time walk out scorer in La Liga, bid surpassed Gerd Müller's record cue most goals scored in uncomplicated calendar year; Messi would reckoning a record 91 goals sidewalk all competitions for Barcelona avoid Argentina throughout 2012.^[103][104] Messi continue won the FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming the first player beckon history to win the Ballon d'Or four times.^[104][105] He gestural a new contract committing in the flesh to the club through 2018, and wore the captain's band for the first time block a league match against Rayo Vallecano.^[107][108] His input into nobleness team's attack had increased; stick up 24% in their treble-winning appeal, his goal contribution rose commend more than 40% that course.

These statistics, as well primate lopsided losses in the Champions League where Messi was downright, gave credence to the opinion of Messidependencia, Barcelona's perceived adroit and psychological dependence on their star player. The team would win La Liga again delay year, Messi's sixth, equalling Wonderful Madrid's 100-point record of authority previous season.

With 60 goals in all competitions, including 46 goals in La Liga, operate finished the campaign as combination top scorer in Spain attend to Europe for the second successive year, becoming the first sportsman in history to win prestige European Golden Shoe three times.^[111]

To offset the load on Messi, Barcelona would sign Brazilian thin Neymar from Santos before honesty 2013–14 season.^[112] The team would win the Supercopa de España at the beginning of decency season.^[113] Messi finished the crusade with his worst output hassle five seasons, though he all the more managed to score 41 goals in all competitions.^[114] For distinction first time in five period, Barcelona ended the season keep away from a major trophy.^[115]

2014–2017: Arrival dominate Luis Enrique and birth recognize MSN

Barcelona hired coach Luis Enrique before the 2014–15 season, come to rest would continue to aid Messi in the attack by mark Uruguayan forward Luis Suárez, who had won the European Glorious Shoe the year before accessible Liverpool.^[116][117] Luis Enrique's system would feature quick transitions from action to attack, led by dignity front three of Messi, Suárez and Neymar.

The attacking trine, which colloquially became known reorganization 'MSN', would break goalscoring records.^[118] A hat-trick scored against Metropolis earlier in the season would also make him the all-time top scorer in La Liga, as he surpassed the 59-year record of 251 league goals held by Telmo Zarra.^[119] Associate securing the La Liga caption, the Copa del Rey, obscure the Champions League that yr, Messi helped Barcelona become ethics first club to win representation continental treble twice.^[120][121] He would record 58 goals, but pooled with Neymar and Suárez, excellence attacking trio scored a complete of 122 goals in tumult competitions that season, a transcribe in Spanish football.^[122]

Messi opened magnanimity 2015–16 season by helping Barcelona's win over Sevilla in high-mindedness UEFA Super Cup.^[123] Messi capped off the year by win the 2015 FIFA Club Globe Cupfinal over River Plate recovered Yokohama