Lionel Messi Biography Facts, Childhood and Personal Life

Lionel Messi, an Argentine professional football player, is one player who despite the odds
against him, turns things around and brings out a miracle when it’s least expected. He captains
and plays forward for Barcelona as well as the Argentina national team. Ever since he was a kid,
he has entertained many with his prodigious skills, amazing dribbles and powerful shots.
Lionel Messi Childhood and Early Life
Lionel Messi was given birth to on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, to a steel factory
manager, Jorge Messi and his wife Celia Cuccittini. Messi was the third of four children they
gave birth to. He grew up in a family where the game of football was adored.
At a tender age, he played with his elder brothers before joining a local club, Grandoli,
before moving on to Newell’s Old Boys. At Grandoli, Messi was coached by his father, but his
grandmother accompanied him to his matches as well as training. He was thus affected by her.
His unique style of celebration which involves looking up and pointing to the sky is a tribute to
his late grandmother.
Messi’s dream of becoming a professional footballer was threatened when he clocked 10
years. He was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. As a result of his family’s inability
to bear the expense of his treatment, they resorted to football clubs who saw Messi as a potential
to bear the cost. After several setbacks, Messi’s treatment cost was paid for by Barcelona. After
his transfer to Barcelona, he did not make appearances regularly in matches due to transfer issues
with Newell as well as the unusual signing of foreign plays by European Clubs. After joining the
Royal Spanish Football Federation, he began playing for Barcelona.
Lionel Messi Club Career
Messi progressed through the ranks of Barcelona’s junior team, leading to his move to the
senior team. He debuted for five teams in a season. During the break, Messi was among the few
players who helped strengthen the first team in the absence of the players. Messi finally debuted
for the senior team at the age of 16. Messi’s wondrous performance earned him the friendship of
Barcelona’s star Ronaldinho, who enabled him to have a smooth transition into the first team.
His remarkable antics earned him a juicy contract in 2004 set to expire in 2012, the first
professional contract he signed, had a buyout clause of 30 million euros which increased to 80
million euros.
In the 2004–2005 season, he became a regular starter in Barcelona’s B-team. However, he
was a substitute player in the A-team, debuting for them in the league on October 16 against
Espanyol. Messi signed a new contract with Barcelona as a senior team player on his 18th
birthday. The contract was set to expire in 2010, with a buyout clause of 150 million euros.
Messi caught the attention of European top clubs, one of such Inter Milan indicated interest in
Messi, offering to triple his wages as well as pay his 150 million euros’ buyout clause. However,
Messi opted to stay. In September of that season, his contract was updated and was set to expire
in 2014.
During the 2006–2007 season, at the age of 19, Messi became one of the best players in the
world. Despite suffering injuries, Messi proved his similarity to Argentina’s legend Maradona
after several comparisons. A notable event which speaks of this truth was the 2006–2007 Copa
del Rey semi-final against Getafe, where he scored a goal similar to Maradona’s 1986 FIFA
World Cup goal dubbed as the Goal of the Century. Following the decline of Ronaldinho, Messi
became Barcelona’s new star, with Spanish media calling him “Messiah”. He emerged second
third in the 2007 Ballon d’Or and second in the FIFA World Player of the Year Award. Messi
was given the no.10 jersey and signed a new contract with an annual salary of 7.8 million euros.
In 2008, he came second in the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year Award.
He however won the Ballon d’Or and FIFA Player of the year in 2009, at the age of 22.
That season Messi had a successful campaign, winning the second consecutive La Liga title.
In 2010, Messi won the inaugural FIFA Ballon d’Or despite his failing at the 2010 FIFA
World Cup. Messi finished the 2010–2011 season as Barcelona’s all-time single-season highest
scorer and the first player in Spain to pass the 50-goal benchmark. He received the 2011 FIFA
Ballon d’Or award as well as the inaugural UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. Due to his
numerous achievements, Messi was regarded as one of the best in the history of the game.
Messi’s incredible form continued, in 2012, he was bestowed with the Guinness book of
record title for most goals scored in a calendar year as well as the FIFA Ballon d’Or Award.
In the 2013–2014 season, Messi signed a new contract with Barcelona which will see him
at Camp Nou until 2018. After Messi sustained an injury and deemed unfit for Barcelona’s
champions league match against Bayern Munich, the Catalan Giant were defeated 7-0 on
aggregate. He signed a new contract with Barcelona which saw his salary increase from 20
million euros to 36 million euros.
In the 2015–2016 season, Messi became the youngest person to make 100 appearances in
the champions league. Messi also helped Barcelona claim the 2015 Club World Cup Final,
where he was awarded the tournament’s silver Ball.
Messi also had a spectacular and incredible performance in the 2017–2018 season, but not
spectacular enough to earn him the Ballon d’Or award. Messi was handed the captaincy in the
2018–2019 season following the departure of Andres Iniesta.
Lionel Messi National Team Career
He has scored 65 goals in 128 appearances for the Argentina National team. He, however,
has failed to extend his successful run with Barcelona to the La Albiceleste. Though he has
always put up a good performance, every time he leads the La Albiceleste to a tournament, they
end up crashing out in the quarter-final, semi-final or final. In the 2006 World Cup, Messi who
was pretty young was part of the Argentine squad who were knocked out in the quarter-final.
Eight years later, on South-American soil, Messi led the La Albiceleste to a wonderful run in the
world Cup before seeing his World Cup dream dashed after a late lone strike by their German
opponents. The Copa America tournament has also been the same, emerging runners-up
successively.
Lionel Messi Personal Life
He began his relationship with his wife who he had known since the age of 5, at the age of
20. They got married in Rosario, in 2017. They gave birth to their first son Thiago in 2012, their
second Mateo in 2015 and last Ciro in 2018. Messi has a tight-knitted relationship with his
mother, Celia whose face he tattooed on his hand. Messi’s father has been his agent since the age
of 14, while his elder brother manages his daily schedule and publicity, his mother and brother,
Matias runs his charitable organization, The Lionel Messi Foundation. Since 2010, Messi has
been a goodwill ambassador for the UNICEF. Messi also supports grassroots football. He has an
investment with youth football team Sarmiento, based in Rosario. Messi has also had his fair
share of tax evasion charges. Despite pleading ignorance for the tax evasion charges, Messi was
found guilty of tax evasion along with his father and was sentenced to a suspended 21-month
prison term and fined 1.7 million euros and 1.4 million euros.
Lionel Messi Achievements and Awards
Tournaments Won
1. U-20 World Cup champion (2005)
2. Spanish Super Cup (Supercopa) (2005/06, 06/07, 20/10, 10/11, 11/12, 13/14, 16/17, 18/19)
3. Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey) (2008/09, 2011/12, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17,2017/18)
4. FIFA Club World Cup (2009, 2011, 2015)
5. UEFA Supercup (2009/10, 2011/12, 2015/16)
6. Olympics Medalist (2008/09)
7. Spanish Champion (2004/05, 05/06, 08/09, 09/10, 10/11, 12/13, 14/15, 15/16, 17/18)
8. UEFA Champions League (2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2014/15)
Individual Awards
1. Golden Boot (2016/17)
2. Striker of the Year (2014/15)
3. Player of the Year (2014 World Cup, 2014/15 La Liga, 2015 Copa America)
4. UEFA Best Player in Europe (2009, 2011, 2015)
5. Top-scorer (2008/09, 2010/11 & 2013/14 Copa del Rey, 08/09, 09/10, 10/11, 11/12, 13/14
& 14/15 UEFA Champions League, 09/10, 10/11 & 11/12 Supercopa, 09/10, 11/12, 12/13
& 16/17 La Liga, 2011 FIFA Club World Cup)