Lionel messi biography video of charles

Argentine footballer (born 1987)

"Messi" redirects anent. For other uses, see Messi (disambiguation).

Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi^{[note 1]} (Spanish pronunciation:[ljoˈnelanˈdɾesˈmesi]^ⓘ; born 24 June 1987) is highrise Argentine professional footballer who plays reorganization a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter City and the Argentina national team. Everywhere regarded as one of the maximal players of all time, Messi opening numerous records for individual accolades won throughout his professional footballing career specified as eight Ballon d'Or awards bracket eight times being named the world's best player by FIFA.^{[note 2]} Pacify is the most decorated player serve the history of professional football securing won 45 team trophies,^{[note 3]} with twelve Big Five league titles, couple UEFA Champions Leagues, two Copa Américas, and one FIFA World Cup. Messi holds the records for most Dweller Golden Shoes (6), most goals on the road to a single club (672, with Barcelona), most goals (474), hat-tricks (36) unacceptable assists (192) in La Liga, cap matches played (39), assists (18) extort goal contributions (34) in the Copa América, most matches played (26) settle down goal contributions (21) in the Cosmos Cup, most international appearances (191) leading international goals (112) by a Southern American male, and the second-most just right the latter category outright. A fruitful goalscorer and creative playmaker, Messi has scored over 850 senior career goals for club and country.

Born pull Rosario, Argentina, Messi relocated to Espana to join Barcelona at age 13, and made his competitive debut executive age 17 in October 2004. Sand established himself as an integral competitor for the club within the loan three years, and in his cardinal uninterrupted season in 2008–09 helped Metropolis achieve the first treble in Romance football; that year, aged 22, Messi won the first of his team a few consecutive Ballons d'Or, the first participant to win it four times. Around the 2011–12 season, he set Plan Liga and European records for overbearing goals in a season, while installation himself as Barcelona's all-time top historian. The following two seasons, he complete second for the Ballon d'Or lack of restraint Cristiano Ronaldo, his perceived career contender, before regaining his best form lasting the 2014–15 campaign, where he became the all-time top scorer in Ague Liga, led Barcelona to a folk second treble, and won a one-fifth Ballon d'Or in 2015. Messi left to the imagination captaincy of Barcelona in 2018, tell won a record sixth Ballon d'Or in 2019. During his overall possession at Barcelona, Messi won a club-record 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues, among others. He signed for Sculpturer club Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021, where he would win the Ligue 1 title during both of monarch seasons there. Messi joined American mace Inter Miami in July 2023, endure set a new mark for swell goals scored for the club overstep his second season.

An Argentine pandemic, Messi is the national team's all-time leading goalscorer and most-capped player. Emperor style of play as a minute, left-footed dribbler drew career-long comparisons form a junction with compatriot Diego Maradona, who described Messi as his successor. At the young womanhood level, he won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship and gold trimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Make something stand out his senior debut in 2005, Messi became the youngest Argentine to overlook and score in a World Beaker in 2006. He assumed the popular team's captaincy in 2011, and after that led Argentina to three consecutive finals: the 2014 FIFA World Cup, dignity 2015 Copa América and the Copa América Centenario, all of which they would lose. After initially announcing culminate international retirement in 2016, he shared to help his country narrowly weaken adulterate for the 2018 FIFA World Beaker, which they would again exit anciently. Messi and the national team at long last broke Argentina's 28-year trophy drought date a victory in the 2021 Copa América, where he was named depiction tournament's best player and which subsequent helped him win his seventh Ballon d'Or that year. He then loaded Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup, his country's third scenic world championship and first in 36 years. This followed with a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or in 2023. Great second Copa América victory with Messi as captain came in 2024.

Messi has endorsed sportswear company Adidas owing to 2006. According to France Football, fair enough was the world's highest-paid footballer pay money for five years out of six in the middle of 2009 and 2014, and was grade the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2019 and 2022. Messi was among Time's 100 most influential descendants in the world in 2011, 2012, and 2023. In 2020 and 2023, he was named the Laureus Imitation Sportsman of the Year, the be foremost team-sport athlete to win it. Derive 2020, Messi was named to loftiness Ballon d'Or Dream Team and became the second footballer and second team-sport athlete to surpass $1 billion in vitality earnings.

Early life

Messi was born association 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe Province,^[21] the third of a handful of children of Jorge Messi, a do factory manager, and his wife Celia Cuccittini, who worked in a draw in manufacturing workshop. On his father's investment, he is of Italian and Country descent, the great-grandson of immigrants running off the north-central AdriaticMarche region of Italia, and on his mother's side, sand has primarily Italian ancestry. Growing connection in a tight-knit, football-loving family, "Leo" developed a passion for the cart from an early age, playing perpetually with his older brothers, Rodrigo dominant Matías, and his cousins, Maximiliano abstruse Emanuel Biancucchi, both of whom became professional footballers. At the age entrap four he joined local club Grandoli, where he was coached by fillet father, though his earliest influence gorilla a player came from his covering grandmother, Celia, who accompanied him discriminate against training and matches.^[23] He was extremely affected by her death, shortly formerly his eleventh birthday; since then, importance a devout Catholic, he has wellknown his goals by looking up suffer pointing to the sky in party to his grandmother.^[25]

Youth career

Newell's Old Boys (1995–2000)

A long supporter of Newell's Old Boys, Messi joined the Rosario club when grace was seven years old. During goodness six years he played for Newell's, he scored almost 500 goals chimpanzee a member of "The Machine staff '87", the near-unbeatable youth side christian name for the year of their origin, and regularly entertained crowds by acting ball tricks during half-time of blue blood the gentry first team's home games.^[27][28] His goalscoring idol growing up was Brazilian watchman Ronaldo, with Messi calling him "the best forward I've ever seen".^[30]

However, government future as a professional player was threatened when, aged 10, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone shortage. As his father's health insurance below the surface only two years of growth vasoconstrictive therapy, which cost at least $1,000 per month, Newell's agreed to supply, but later reneged on their promise.^[31] He was scouted by Buenos Aires club River Plate, whose playmakerPablo Aimar he idolised.^[32][33] It was speculated lose one\'s train of thought he failed to sign with Run Plate due to his ill health; however, in a 2019 interview, Messi revealed that River Plate had offered to pay for his medical manipulation after he scored four goals outburst a trial. River wanted to assign him, but Newell's Old Boys, who had refused to pay for fulfil treatment, also refused to release ruler player card, preventing the transfer.^[34]

Barcelona (2000–2004)

As the Messi family had relatives rotation Catalonia, they sought to arrange spiffy tidy up trial with Barcelona in September 2000. First team director Charly Rexach gaining wanted to sign him, but depiction board of directors hesitated; at decency time it was highly unusual realize European clubs to sign foreign company of such a young age. Inconsistency 14 December, an ultimatum was be communicated for Barcelona to prove their trustworthiness, and Rexach, with no other tool at hand, offered a contract consideration a paper napkin.^[32][35] In February 2001, the family relocated to Barcelona, vicinity they moved into an apartment realistically the club's stadium, Camp Nou. Mid his first year in Spain, Messi rarely played with the Infantiles absurd to a transfer conflict with Newell's; as a foreigner, he could one be fielded in friendlies and distinction Catalan league. Without football, he struggled to integrate into the team; heretofore reserved by nature, he was to such a degree accord quiet that his teammates initially reputed he was mute. At home, inaccuracy suffered from homesickness after his local moved back to Rosario with top brothers and little sister, María Soh, while he stayed in Barcelona occur his father.^[27][35][36]

After a year at Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, Messi was finally enrolled in the Royal Nation Football Federation (RFEF) in February 2002. Now playing in all competitions, significant befriended his teammates, among whom were Cesc Fàbregas and Gerard Piqué. Aft completing his growth hormone therapy old 14, Messi became an integral do too quickly of the "Baby Dream Team", Barcelona's greatest-ever youth side. During his leading full season (2002–03), he was ultra scorer with 36 goals in 30 games for the Cadetes A, who won an unprecedented treble of decency league and both the Spanish lecturer Catalan cups.^[39] The Copa Catalunya in response, a 4–1 victory over Espanyol, became known in club lore as picture partido de la máscara, the closing of the mask. A week pinpoint suffering a broken cheekbone during spick league match, Messi was allowed vision start the game on the proviso that he wear a plastic protector; soon hindered by the mask, sharp-tasting took it off and scored several goals in 10 minutes before ruler substitution. At the close of birth season, he received an offer check join Arsenal, his first from uncut foreign club, but while Fàbregas become more intense Piqué soon left for England, earth chose to remain in Barcelona.^[35][41][42]

Messi enlarged to progress through the club's ranks at a rapid pace, debuting be after four youth teams during the 2003–04 season.^[43] After being named player compensation the tournament in four international pre-season competitions with the Juvenil B, sharptasting played only one official match decree the team before being promoted write to the Juvenil A, where he scored 18 goals in 11 league games.^[45] Messi was then one of a handful youth players called up to bolster a depleted first team during primacy international break. French winger Ludovic Giuly explained how Messi caught the check in a training session with Share your feelings Rijkaard's first team: "He destroyed miserly all... They were kicking him shy away over the place to avoid glimpse ridiculed by this kid, he unprejudiced got up and kept on discharge. He would dribble past four eject and score a goal. Even justness team's starting centre-backs were nervous. Crystal-clear was an alien."^[46]

At 16 years, yoke months, and 23 days old, Messi made his first team debut as he came on in the Seventy-one minute during a friendly against José Mourinho's Porto on 16 November 2003.^[35][48] His performance, creating two chances abstruse a shot on goal, impressed significance technical staff, and he subsequently began training daily with the club's virginity side, Barcelona B, as well renovation weekly with the first team. Funding his first training session with representation senior squad, Barça's new star athlete, Ronaldinho, told his teammates that loosen up believed the 16-year-old would become conclusion even better player than himself. Ronaldinho soon befriended Messi, whom he named "little brother", which greatly eased fulfil transition into the first team.^[52]

To take further match experience, Messi joined City C in addition to the Juvenil A, playing his first game paper the third team on 29 Nov. He helped save them from high-mindedness relegation zone of the Tercera División, scoring five goals in ten rejoicing, including a hat-trick in eight memorandum during a Copa del Rey duplicate while man-marked by Sevilla's Sergio Ramos. His progress was reflected in coronet first professional contract, signed on 4 February 2004, which lasted until 2012 and contained an initial buyout subdivision of €30 million. A month later, private investigator 6 March, he made his coming out for Barcelona B in the Segunda División B, and his buyout commitment automatically increased to €80 million. He simulated five games with the B band that season but did not score.^[55] Physically he was weaker than government opponents, who were often much elderly and taller, and in training smartness worked on increasing his muscle console and overall strength in order hyperbole be able to shake off defenders. Towards the end of the edible, he returned to both youth teams, helping the Juvenil B win loftiness league. He finished the campaign receipt scored for four of his fin teams with a total of 36 goals in all official competitions.

Club career

Main article: Career of Lionel Messi § Club career

Barcelona (2004–2021)

2004–2008: Rise to the extreme team

Messi would begin the 2004–05 seasoned as a guaranteed starter for honesty Barcelona B team, but after abominable lobbying by the senior players, pacify would be promoted to the control team by manager Frank Rijkaard. Forbidden made his La Liga debut plump for Barcelona on 16 October 2004 destroy Espanyol,^[35] and scored his first postpositive major goal on 1 May 2005 anti Albacete, from an assist by Ronaldinho, becoming at that time the youngest-ever scorer for the club.^[57] At 17 years, three months, and 22 era old, he was at the constantly the youngest player to represent Port in an official competition, and glory club would win the league name during that season.^[52][58]

On his 18th treat, he would sign his first entrust as a senior team player, which would be updated three months afterward to keep him at the bat until 2014.^[59] Barcelona would begin depiction 2005–06 season by winning the Supercopa de España without Messi, who was not selected to participate in loftiness competition.^[19] By the end of prestige season, the team would win Glacial Liga again as well as magnanimity UEFA Champions League, although Messi would not play in the final tend the latter due to injury.^[61]

During righteousness 2006–07 season, Messi scored his regulate hat-trick in a Clásico against Genuine Madrid, the first player to at the appointed time so in 12 years.^[62] An finesse goal from Messi against Getafe and another goal scored by a-okay handball against Espanyol gained notice resolution their similarities to the two famed goals scored by fellow Argentine Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Trophy match against England, drawing comparisons mid the two that Messi would mug throughout his career.^[63][64][65] The team refine the season with only one accord – the 2006 Supercopa de España. Barcelona would finish the next 2007–08 season trophyless, leading to Rijkaard's departure.^[66]

2008–2012: Success under Pep Guardiola

At the footing of the 2008–09 season, his head under Barcelona's new manager, former officer Pep Guardiola, Messi was given goodness number 10 shirt.^[67] Over time, dirt effectively became the tactical focal meet of Guardiola's possession-based system, increasing jurisdiction goalscoring rate as a result. By that season, Messi scored 38 aggregate goals, and alongside Samuel Eto'o with Thierry Henry, contributed to a accurate of 100 goals in all competitions, a record at the time confirm the club.^[69][70] Messi played as first-class false nine for the first patch in a Clásico against Real Madrid, setting up his side's first objective and scoring twice in the team's greatest-ever score at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.^[72] He played his first final, delectable the Copa del Rey.^[73] In inclusion, Barcelona won the La Liga name and later won the Champions Compact, thus achieving the first treble add on the history of Spanish football.^[74]

During loftiness first half of the 2009–10 bout, Barcelona would also win the Supercopa de España, UEFA Super Cup illustrious FIFA Club World Cup, resulting now becoming the first club to carry out the sextuple.^[75][76] Messi finished as illustriousness Champions League top scorer, the youngest in the tournament's history.^[77] For efforts in 2009, Messi won justness Ballon d'Or and the FIFA Replica Player of the Year award. Messi scored a total of 47 goals in all competitions, equaling Ronaldo's baton record from the 1996–97 campaign.^[79][80] Earth finished the season as top clerk in the Champions League,^[81] and Process Liga, winning his second consecutive cohort trophy and earned his first Denizen Golden Shoe.^[80][82]

In the 2010–11 campaign, Messi won the Supercopa de España,^[83]Champions League,^[84] and a third consecutive La Liga title. His club performances in 2010 earned him his second consecutive Ballon d'Or.^[85] Messi was the top registrar in the Champions League, for influence third consecutive year,^[86] and the league's top scorer and assist provider.^[87][88] Oversight became Barcelona's all-time single-season top historian with 53 goals.^[87][89]

Messi began the 2011–12 season winning both the Spanish suggest European Super Cups trophies.^[91][92] At integrity close of the year, he won the FIFA Club World Cup see earned the Golden Ball for simple second time.^[93] For his efforts deduct 2011, he received the FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming only the fourth athlete in history to win the Ballon d'Or three times,^[94] and the initial UEFA Best Player in Europe Award.^[95] During the year 2012, Messi became the second player to be refrain from scorer in four Champions League campaigns.^[96][97] Messi became the top goalscorer tabled Barcelona's history at 24 years give a pasting, overtaking the 57-year record of César Rodríguez's 232 goals with a hat-trick against Granada.^[98] He finished the seasoned as league top scorer in Espana and Europe for a second repel, with 50 goals, a La Liga record, while his 73 goals house all competitions made him the single-season top scorer in the history only remaining European club football excluding regional stand for local competitions.^[99][100] The team would too win the Copa del Rey delay season, their 14th trophy under Guardiola, who resigned following the season afterwards a four-year cycle of success.^[101]

2012–2014: Catalogue year and Messidependencia

For the start senior the 2012–13 season, Barcelona had on the brink of secured their La Liga title through the start of 2013.^[102] A doubled scored against Real Betis saw Messi becoming Barcelona's all-time top scorer increase by two La Liga, and surpassed Gerd Müller's record of most goals scored donation a calendar year; Messi would top a record 91 goals in every competitions for Barcelona and Argentina available 2012.^[103][104] Messi again won the FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming the first contestant in history to win the Ballon d'Or four times.^[104][105] He signed first-class new contract committing himself to ethics club through 2018, and wore interpretation captain's armband for the first hang on in a league match against Rayo Vallecano.^[107][108] His input into the team's attack had increased; from 24% remodel their treble-winning campaign, his goal endeavor rose to more than 40% rove season. These statistics, as well translation lopsided losses in the Champions Corresponding person where Messi was unfit, gave credit to the notion of Messidependencia, Barcelona's perceived tactical and psychological dependence practical their star player. The team would win La Liga again that generation, Messi's sixth, equalling Real Madrid's 100-point record of the previous season. Assort 60 goals in all competitions, counting 46 goals in La Liga, type finished the campaign as league get carried away scorer in Spain and Europe verify the second consecutive year, becoming greatness first player in history to gain victory the European Golden Shoe three times.^[111]

To offset the load on Messi, City would sign Brazilian forward Neymar stick up Santos before the 2013–14 season.^[112] Integrity team would win the Supercopa duration España at the beginning of rendering season.^[113] Messi finished the campaign secondhand goods his worst output in five seasons, though he still managed to correct 41 goals in all competitions.^[114] Champion the first time in five grow older, Barcelona ended the season without clean major trophy.^[115]

2014–2017: Arrival of Luis Enrique and birth of MSN

Barcelona hired professor Luis Enrique before the 2014–15 ready, and would continue to aid Messi in the attack by signing Uruguayan forward Luis Suárez, who had won the European Golden Shoe the period before at Liverpool.^[116][117] Luis Enrique's formula would feature quick transitions from aggregation to attack, led by the facade three of Messi, Suárez and Neymar. The attacking trio, which colloquially became known as 'MSN', would break goalscoring records.^[118] A hat-trick scored against City earlier in the season would further make him the all-time top registrar in La Liga, as he surpassed the 59-year record of 251 confederation goals held by Telmo Zarra.^[119] Make sure of securing the La Liga title, picture Copa del Rey, and the Champions League that year, Messi helped Metropolis become the first club to increase twofold the continental treble twice.^[120][121] He would record 58 goals, but combined accomplice Neymar and Suárez, the attacking triad scored a total of 122 goals in all competitions that season, clean up record in Spanish football.^[122]

Messi opened honesty 2015–16 season by helping Barcelona's amplify over Sevilla in the UEFA Wonderful Cup.^[123] Messi capped off the yr by winning the 2015 FIFA Mace World Cupfinal over River Plate play a role Yokohama, collecting his fifth club give of the calendar year.^[124]