Lionel Messi | The Greatest Footballer of all Time

Lionel Messi is an Argentine Professional Footballer, He plays as a Forward. Messi has played for FC Barcelona and currently playing for Paris Saint-Germain. He is one of the greatest of all time footballers. He has 7 Ballon d’Or  

Personal Life

Lionel Andres Cuccittini Messi well known as Lionel Messi was born on 24th June 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. He was born to Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini. His father was a steel factory manager and his mother worked in a magnet manufacturing workshop. His mother’s side is of Italian ancestry and his father is of Italian and Spanish descent.

Messi grew up in a football-loving family and developed a passion for football. He played for the club Grandoli. Messi joined Newell’s Old Boys when he was 6 years old. He played for Newell’s for about 6 years. Messi got diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. Newell’s did not offer any help.

Messi’s relatives in Catalonia arranged for a trial with FC Barcelona in 2000. Rexach the then team director offered him a contract on tissue paper. Messi along with his family reallocated to Barcelona. 

Messi has 3 sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro. He married his teenage girlfriend, Antonela Roccuzzo in 2017. 

Career

Messi played his first match at the age of 16. Messi became the youngest player to play for Barcelona’s first team. He scored his first professional goal in 2005. He became the youngest player to score a goal for a club at that time. 

Lionel became a regular starter after scoring a hat-trick in El Clasico. In 2007 he scored a goal similar to Maradona’s ‘Goal of the Century’. In 2019 Barcelona fans voted the goal as the best goal in the club’s history.

Messi was given the number 10 shirt. 2008-09 was the best season he scored 38 goals and helped Barcelona win the Treble. Messi won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009. He was the highest-paid player in the top 5 European Leagues. At the age of 25, he became the youngest player to score 200 goals in Laliga. And by 27 years of age, he has 400 goals by his name. 

Messi holds dual citizenship from Argentina and Spain. He chooses to play for his motherland Argentina. He has scored a total of 81 goals for his country. Lionel has the most number of goals scored by any South American player.

In 2021, Messi became a free agent. Messi was about to sign a contract but due to financial debt, they couldn’t be done. And in August in a press conference, Messi confirmed that he would be leaving Barcelona.

Messi signed a 2 years deal with Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

Honours and Achievements

Messi has won 4 UEFA Champions Leagues, 10 Laliga’s, 7 Copa del Rey’s, 3 Club World Cup, 3 European Super Cups and 8 Supercopa de Espana with FC Barcelona.1 Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain. 1 Copa America, 1 under 20 World Cup, 1 Beijing Olympic Games Gold Medal and 1 FIFA World Cup Finalist with Argentina.

Apart from this, he has won 7 Ballon d’Or, 1 The Best Award, 6 European Golden Shoe, 7 Pichichi Laliga’s, 1Laureus World Sports Awards, 9 MVP Laliga’s, 6 Champions top scorer, 1 FIFA FIFPro, 1 2014 World Cup Golden Ball, 2 Men’s Player of the Year and 1 Golden Boy, MVP Copa America, 4 Onze d’Or and 1 Bravo Award individually.

Messi Promotes brands like Adidas and Pepsi.co, Budweiser, Matercard, Hard Rock, and many famous brands.

Lionel has scored a total of 764 goals and 329 assists in 972 appearances as of 2022.

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