THE BIOGRAPHY OF LIONEL MESSI
Who Is Lionel Messi?
1987- Present
Lionel Messi is a soccer player from Argentina. He has played for FC Barcelona, PSG, and Inter Miami of the Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Argentina national team. When Messi was a youngster, he and his family relocated to Spain from Argentina because FC Barcelona paid for his medical treatment for a growth hormone problem.
During his time there, FC Barcelona won over twenty league titles and tournaments, solidifying his reputation as one of the best players of all time. His record-setting performance in 2012 was followed by his contribution to Argentina’s third FIFA World Cup victory a decade later. 20’21 saw the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner join Paris Saint-Germain, while July 2023 saw him sign with Inter Miami.
Quick Facts
| 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 |
Early Life of a Soccer Prodigy
Argentina is the place of birth for Luis Lionel Andres “Leo” Messi, who came into the world on June 24, 1987. Messi, unfazed by the larger boys around, played soccer with his two elder brothers and their friends when he was a little boy. He joined the Rosario-based club Newell’s Old Boys’ youth system when he was eight years old.
After Messi’s stature stood out among his peers, doctors determined that he had a hormone deficit, which had stunted his development. Jorge and Cecilia Messi opted to inject their baby with growth hormones every night, but the cost of the medication—several hundred dollars each month—quickly became unaffordable.
The Messi family uprooted and relocated to Spain when their son was thirteen years old, after receiving an opportunity to attend the La Masia youth program of soccer giant FC Barcelona and have his medical expenses covered by the club.
While Messi experienced homesickness regularly in his new nation, he advanced swiftly through the junior system. The combination of Messi’s pace, aggressive attacking style, and tiny size (5 feet, 7 inches) has led to parallels to another renowned Argentine footballer, Diego Maradona.
An Analysis of Lionel Messi’s Professional Career
Club Teams
After 17 years with FC Barcelona, Messi spent two years in Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. A move to the Major League Soccer club Inter Miami was announced in June 2023.
FC Barcelona
Joining FC Barcelona, Messi was just 13 years old. At the age of sixteen, he made his team debut. Messi scored his first goal for the club on May 1, 2005, making him the youngest player in franchise history to do so. Barcelona won the Champions League, La Liga, and the Spanish Super Cup in 2009 under the leadership of left-footer Lionel Messi.
Following two consecutive runner-up finishes, he won his first FIFA World Player of the Year title and the premier European individual football trophy, the Ballon d’Or, in the same year. He received his fifth Ballon d’Or award in 2015, the same year he helped Barcelona win a remarkable second triple.
Messi won his sixth Ballon d’Or four years later, after winning La Liga again, and set a new benchmark for greatness once more. The Catalan club FC Barcelona stated on August 5, 2021, that financial and La Liga limits prevented them from signing Lionel Messi. Messi said a tearful goodbye after 17 years with the club, after having expressed his intention to leave the previous season.
Paris Saint-Germain
Messi inked a deal with PSG four days after receiving the devastating news from FC Barcelona. The French club signed the 34-year-old to a two-year deal. He rejoined forces with Kylian Mbappé and his former teammate Neymar in the transfer.
Messi debuted for the club on August 29, 2021, and in September of the same year, he scored his first goal. Even though PSG won two Ligue 1 championships while Messi was on the team, they were eliminated in the Champions League finals on two separate occasions.
After his contract with PSG expired on June 30, 2023—even though a third year was still optional—the club stated that Messi would be released as a free agent.
After Messi’s unapproved travel to Saudi Arabia earlier this year, the club punished and suspended him. The destiny of the soccer legend’s much-anticipated relocation was practically sealed by this point. On June 3, 2023, Messi played in PSG’s final match. He made 72 starts and contributed to 34 assists and 32 goals.
Inter Miami
Messi announced his intention to play for Inter Miami, a Major League Soccer club partially owned by retired soccer star David Beckham, to two Spanish media sites on June 7, 2023.
Just over one month later, on July 16, the club formally signed him to a 2.5-year deal that will keep him with the organization until the 2025 season. An estimated $50–$60 million in yearly compensation, plus a signing bonus and team stock, brought the total value of the arrangement to almost $150 million.
Argentina National Team
While playing for his native country’s under-20 squad in the summer of 2005, Messi became famous very fast. He was instrumental in Argentina’s victory over Nigeria in the FIFA U-20 World Cup, scoring twice from penalty kicks to give his team the trophy. In a friendly match against Hungary in August, he made his professional debut with Argentina less than two months later; however, he was sent out after just two minutes due to a red card.
Messi was under constant scrutiny for failing to lead Argentina to a major championship, despite his stellar play for Barcelona. Even though Lionel Messi was crowned the tournament’s best player in 2014, Argentina fell in the final to Germany. Messi declared his retirement from international football in 2016, after Argentina suffered their second straight Copa America final defeat at the hands of Chile.
Data Analysis
Lionel Messi has had a remarkable career thus far, with 1,044 appearances, 821 goals, and 324 assists as of October 2023. Messi holds two records: the record for most Ballon d’Or victories in Europe with eight, and the record for most FIFA World Player Trophy victories, which he achieved with four straight triumphs from 2009 to 2011.
Messi made history in October 2023 as the first active Major League Soccer player to win the Ballon d’Or. In addition, he has two more European Golden Shoe victories than his closest competitor, Cristiano Ronaldo, with six.
Controversies Stoked By The Football Guru
Scandal Over Tax Fraud
When a judge in Barcelona found Messi and his father guilty of three charges of tax fraud in July 2016, it was a blow away from the soccer field. Messi and his father both maintained their innocence and denied any wrongdoing during the four-day trial. Nonetheless, each of them received a 21-month prison term. Messi was fined 2 million euros, although first infractions under two years are not punished by jail according to Spanish legislation. His dad had to shell out 1.5 million euros.
Personal Aspect of Lionel Messi’s Life
Longtime Lionel Messi lover Antonella Roccuzzo—the cousin of his best friend and fellow soccer star Lucas Scaglia—was married to Messi on June 30, 2017. When Messi was five years old, he met Roccuzzo in Rosario, where they both grew up. The civil ceremony, which was called the “wedding of the century” by the Clarín newspaper in Argentina, took place in a five-star hotel in Rosario.
Among the 260 guests were Shakira, a Colombian pop sensation, and several other famous soccer players. Messi and Roccuzzo started a family of three in 2012 with the birth of Thiago; in 2015, they welcomed Mateo; and in 2018, they welcomed Ciro.
Charity and UNICEF
Lionel Messi, who is known for his reclusiveness off the field, has quietly aided those in need. To help underprivileged kids, he established the Leo Messi Foundation in 2007. He became a UNICEF goodwill ambassador in early 2010 and has since worked to promote children’s rights all across the world.
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