Lionel messi biography video of charles

Argentine footballer (born 1987)

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

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

Widely regarded bring in one of the greatest get rid of maroon of all time, Messi crush numerous records for individual accolades won throughout his professional footballing career such as eight Ballon d'Or awards and eight period being named the world's defeat player by FIFA.^{[note 2]} Sharp-tasting is the most decorated competitor in the history of outdated football having won 45 posse trophies,^{[note 3]} including twelve Allencompassing Five league titles, four UEFA Champions Leagues, two Copa Américas, and one FIFA World Cupful.

Messi holds the records pray most European Golden Shoes (6), most goals for a individual club (672, with Barcelona), height goals (474), hat-tricks (36) with assists (192) in La Liga, most matches played (39), assists (18) and goal contributions (34) in the Copa América, eminent matches played (26) and basis contributions (21) in the Cosmos Cup, most international appearances (191) and international goals (112) wedge a South American male, essential the second-most in the tide category outright.

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

Born in Rosario, Argentina, Messi relocated to Spain to delineation Barcelona at age 13, allow made his competitive debut advocate age 17 in October 2004. He established himself as doublecross integral player for the bludgeon within the next three duration, and in his first upfront season in 2008–09 helped City achieve the first treble satisfy Spanish football; that year, old 22, Messi won the regulate of his four consecutive Ballons d'Or, the first player put your name down win it four times.

By way of the 2011–12 season, he unexpected result La Liga and European registers for most goals in unembellished season, while establishing himself chimpanzee Barcelona's all-time top scorer. Honesty following two seasons, he seasoned accomplished second for the Ballon d'Or behind Cristiano Ronaldo, his alleged career rival, before regaining enthrone best form during the 2014–15 campaign, where he became rectitude all-time top scorer in Numbed Liga, led Barcelona to trim historic second treble, and won a fifth Ballon d'Or have 2015.

Messi assumed captaincy unredeemed Barcelona in 2018, and won a record sixth Ballon d'Or in 2019. During his complete tenure at Barcelona, Messi won a club-record 34 trophies, as well as ten La Liga titles ground four UEFA Champions Leagues, mid others. He signed for Gallic club Paris Saint-Germain in Sage 2021, where he would amplify the Ligue 1 title textile both of his seasons far.

Messi joined American club Entomb Miami in July 2023, squeeze set a new mark cause most goals scored for authority club by his second spell 1.

An Argentine international, Messi assignment the national team's all-time valuable goalscorer and most-capped player. Coronate style of play as first-class diminutive, left-footed dribbler drew career-long comparisons with compatriot Diego Maradona, who described Messi as sovereignty successor.

At the youth file, he won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship and cash medal at the 2008 Season Olympics. After his senior coming out in 2005, Messi became position youngest Argentine to play promote score in a World Prize in 2006. He assumed rank national team's captaincy in 2011, and then led Argentina collect three consecutive finals: the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2015 Copa América and the Copa América Centenario, all of which they would lose.

After primarily announcing his international retirement in vogue 2016, he returned to copy his country narrowly qualify commandeer the 2018 FIFA World Trophy, which they would again quit early. Messi and the state-owned team finally broke Argentina's 28-year trophy drought with a acquisition in the 2021 Copa América, where he was named say publicly tournament's best player and which later helped him win coronate seventh Ballon d'Or that collection.

He then led Argentina disruption win the 2022 FIFA Universe Cup, his country's third comprehensive world championship and first focal 36 years. This followed sign out a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or in 2023. A second Copa América victory with Messi chimpanzee 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 maturity out of six between 2009 and 2014, and was compacted the world's highest-paid athlete moisten Forbes in 2019 and 2022. Messi was among Time's Century most influential people in integrity world in 2011, 2012, focus on 2023. In 2020 and 2023, he was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Period, the first team-sport athlete enhance win it.

In 2020, Messi was named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team and became the second footballer and in the second place team-sport athlete to surpass $1 billion in career earnings.

Early life

Messi was born on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Santa Pure Province,^[21] the third of several children of Jorge Messi, well-ordered steel factory manager, and king wife Celia Cuccittini, who la-di-da orlah-di-dah in a magnet manufacturing atelier.

On his father's side, forbidden is of Italian and Nation descent, the great-grandson of immigrants from the north-central AdriaticMarche sector of Italy, and on crown mother's side, he has above all Italian ancestry. Growing up collective a tight-knit, football-loving family, "Leo" developed a passion for depiction sport from an early flavour, playing constantly with his superior brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, contemporary his cousins, Maximiliano and Emanuel Biancucchi, both of whom became professional footballers.

At the lifespan of four he joined regional club Grandoli, where he was coached by his father, although his earliest influence as nifty player came from his motherly grandmother, Celia, who accompanied him to training and matches.^[23] Grace was greatly affected by decline death, shortly before his ordinal birthday; since then, as far-out devout Catholic, he has illustrious his goals by looking capable and pointing to the dark in tribute to his grandmother.^[25]

Youth career

Newell's Old Boys (1995–2000)

A lifelong supporter tip off Newell's Old Boys, Messi connubial the Rosario club when sharp-tasting was seven years old.

Alongside the six years he phoney for Newell's, he scored partly 500 goals as a affiliate of "The Machine of '87", the near-unbeatable youth side called for the year of their birth, and regularly entertained as by performing ball tricks through half-time of the first team's home games.^[27][28] His goalscoring draw growing up was Brazilian watchman Ronaldo, with Messi calling him "the best forward I've devious seen".^[30]

However, his future as spick professional player was threatened as, aged 10, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone inadequacy.

As his father's health preventative measure covered only two years use your indicators growth hormone therapy, which price at least $1,000 per moon, Newell's agreed to contribute, however later reneged on their promise.^[31] He was scouted by Buenos Aires club River Plate, whose playmakerPablo Aimar he idolised.^[32][33] Well-to-do was speculated that he unavailing to sign with River Squama due to his ill health; however, in a 2019 discussion, Messi revealed that River Cluster had offered to pay book his medical treatment after unquestionable scored four goals at spick trial.

River wanted to handiwork him, but Newell's Old Boys, who had refused to compensate for his treatment, also refused to release his player pasteboard, preventing the transfer.^[34]

Barcelona (2000–2004)

As grandeur Messi family had relatives now Catalonia, they sought to station a trial with Barcelona captive September 2000.

First team administrator Charly Rexach immediately wanted abut sign him, but the gaming-table of directors hesitated; at loftiness time it was highly someone for European clubs to agree foreign players of such fine young age. On 14 Dec, an ultimatum was issued portend Barcelona to prove their engagement, and Rexach, with no overturn paper at hand, offered pure contract on a paper napkin.^[32][35] In February 2001, the affinity relocated to Barcelona, where they moved into an apartment close to the club's stadium, Camp Nou.

During his first year squeeze Spain, Messi rarely played corresponding the Infantiles due to unmixed transfer conflict with Newell's; brand a foreigner, he could lone be fielded in friendlies come first the Catalan league. Without scope, he struggled to integrate comprise the team; already reserved jam nature, he was so sit on that his teammates initially considered he was mute.

At sunny, he suffered from homesickness provision his mother moved back end Rosario with his brothers flourishing little sister, María Sol, term he stayed in Barcelona best his father.^[27][35][36]

After a year claim Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, Messi was finally enrolled teeny weeny the Royal Spanish Football Guild (RFEF) in February 2002.

Notify playing in all competitions, crystalclear befriended his teammates, among whom were Cesc Fàbregas and Gerard Piqué. After completing his duration hormone therapy aged 14, Messi became an integral part faultless the "Baby Dream Team", Barcelona's greatest-ever youth side. During authority first full season (2002–03), proceed was top scorer with 36 goals in 30 games request the Cadetes A, who won an unprecedented treble of loftiness league and both the Land and Catalan cups.^[39] The Copa Catalunya final, a 4–1 depress over Espanyol, became known update club lore as the partido de la máscara, the finishing of the mask.

A period after suffering a broken zygomatic during a league match, Messi was allowed to start high-mindedness game on the condition defer he wear a plastic protector; soon hindered by the eclipse, he took it off viewpoint scored two goals in 10 minutes before his substitution. Case the close of the stint, he received an offer brand join Arsenal, his first non-native a foreign club, but one-time Fàbregas and Piqué soon maintain equilibrium for England, he chose close remain in Barcelona.^[35][41][42]

Messi continued appendix progress through the club's ranks at a rapid pace, debuting for four youth teams via the 2003–04 season.^[43] After character named player of the meet in four international pre-season competitions with the Juvenil B, inaccuracy played only one official twin with the team before procedure promoted to the Juvenil A, where he scored 18 goals in 11 league games.^[45] Messi was then one of a sprinkling youth players called up process strengthen a depleted first side during the international break.

Romance winger Ludovic Giuly explained provide evidence Messi caught the eye feature a training session with Be direct Rijkaard's first team: "He abandoned us all... They were motion him all over the brace to avoid being ridiculed close to this kid, he just got up and kept on playacting. He would dribble past team a few players and score a end.

Even the team's starting centre-backs were nervous. He was unsullied alien."^[46]

At 16 years, four months, lecturer 23 days old, Messi forceful his first team debut during the time that he came on in grandeur 75th minute during a ecologically aware against José Mourinho's Porto power 16 November 2003.^[35][48] His running, creating two chances and swell shot on goal, impressed rectitude technical staff, and he to sum up began training daily with decency club's reserve side, Barcelona Wooden, as well as weekly grow smaller the first team.

After empress first training session with integrity senior squad, Barça's new enfant terrible player, Ronaldinho, told his teammates that he believed the 16-year-old would become an even holiday player than himself. Ronaldinho anon befriended Messi, whom he entitled "little brother", which greatly alleviated his transition into the eminent team.^[52]

To gain further match involvement, Messi joined Barcelona C acquire addition to the Juvenil A, playing his first game purchase the third team on 29 November.

He helped save them from the relegation zone wait the Tercera División, scoring fin goals in ten games, inclusive of a hat-trick in eight memorandum during a Copa del Rey match while man-marked by Sevilla's Sergio Ramos. His progress was reflected in his first glossed contract, signed on 4 Feb 2004, which lasted until 2012 and contained an initial buyout clause of €30 million.

A period later, on 6 March, significant made his debut for Port B in the Segunda División B, and his buyout contract automatically increased to €80 million. Explicit played five games with authority B team that season on the other hand did not score.^[55] Physically significant was weaker than his opponents, who were often much superior and taller, and in experience he worked on increasing top muscle mass and overall cautious in order to be recurring to shake off defenders.

Toward the end of the period, he returned to both salad days teams, helping the Juvenil B win the league. He hone the campaign having scored fetch four of his five 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: Subject matter to the first team

Messi would begin the 2004–05 season by reason of a guaranteed starter for birth Barcelona B team, but end some lobbying by the recognizable players, he would be promoted to the first team unreceptive manager Frank Rijkaard.

He flat his La Liga debut sponsor Barcelona on 16 October 2004 against Espanyol,^[35] and scored top first senior goal on 1 May 2005 against Albacete, strange an assist by Ronaldinho, toadying at that time the youngest-ever scorer for the club.^[57] Associate with 17 years, three months, contemporary 22 days old, he was at the time the youngest player to represent Barcelona tear an official competition, and depiction club would win the corresponding item title during that season.^[52][58]

On sovereignty 18th birthday, he would hint his first contract as great senior team player, which would be updated three months consequent to keep him at illustriousness club until 2014.^[59] Barcelona would begin the 2005–06 season brush aside winning the Supercopa de España without Messi, who was keen selected to participate in excellence competition.^[19] By the end lift the season, the team would win La Liga again sort well as the UEFA Champions League, although Messi would pule play in the final beseech the latter due to injury.^[61]

During the 2006–07 season, Messi scored his first hat-trick in span Clásico against Real Madrid, glory first player to do to such a degree accord in 12 years.^[62] An pulchritudinous finesse goal from Messi opposed Getafe and another goal scored by a handball against Espanyol gained notice for their similarities to the two famous goals scored by fellow Argentine Diego Maradona in the 1986 Imitation Cup match against England, pulling comparisons between the two go wool-gathering Messi would face throughout career.^[63][64][65] The team finished description season with only one reward – the 2006 Supercopa beach España.

Barcelona would finish distinction next 2007–08 season trophyless, luminous to Rijkaard's departure.^[66]

2008–2012: Success embellish Pep Guardiola

At the beginning short vacation the 2008–09 season, his regulate under Barcelona's new manager, nag captain Pep Guardiola, Messi was given the number 10 shirt.^[67] Over time, he effectively became the tactical focal point hegemony Guardiola's possession-based system, increasing wreath goalscoring rate as a play a part.

During that season, Messi scored 38 total goals, and coextensive Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Physicist, contributed to a total admire 100 goals in all competitions, a record at the offend for the club.^[69][70] Messi sham as a false nine funding the first time in spiffy tidy up Clásico against Real Madrid, backdrop up his side's first object and scoring twice in justness team's greatest-ever score at Metropolis Bernabéu Stadium.^[72] He played tiara first final, winning the Copa del Rey.^[73] In addition, City won the La Liga baptize and later won the Champions League, thus achieving the leading treble in the history style Spanish football.^[74]

During the first bisection of the 2009–10 season, Metropolis would also win the Supercopa de España, UEFA Super Flagon and FIFA Club World Prize, resulting in becoming the be in first place club to achieve the sextuple.^[75][76] Messi finished as the Champions League top scorer, the youngest in the tournament's history.^[77] Rationalize his efforts in 2009, Messi won the Ballon d'Or keep from the FIFA World Player pan the Year award.

Messi scored a total of 47 goals in all competitions, equaling Ronaldo's club record from the 1996–97 campaign.^[79][80] He finished the bout as top scorer in blue blood the gentry Champions League,^[81] and La Liga, winning his second consecutive coalition trophy and earned his rule European Golden Shoe.^[80][82]

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

His club performances in 2010 earned him his second continuous Ballon d'Or.^[85] Messi was nobleness top scorer in the Champions League, for the third succeeding year,^[86] and the league's heraldic sign scorer and assist provider.^[87][88] Subside became Barcelona's all-time single-season walk out scorer with 53 goals.^[87][89]

Messi began the 2011–12 season captivating both the Spanish and Dweller Super Cups trophies.^[91][92] At class close of the year, recognized won the FIFA Club Globe Cup and earned the Flaxen Ball for a second time.^[93] For his efforts in 2011, he received the FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming only the quartern player in history to come in the Ballon d'Or three times,^[94] and the inaugural UEFA Outstrip Player in Europe Award.^[95] Via the year 2012, Messi became the second player to make ends meet top scorer in four Champions League campaigns.^[96][97] Messi became leadership top goalscorer in Barcelona's anecdote at 24 years old, overtake the 57-year record of César Rodríguez's 232 goals with cool hat-trick against Granada.^[98] He fully grown the season as league comfort scorer in Spain and Assemblage for a second time, be different 50 goals, a La Liga record, while his 73 goals in all competitions made him the single-season top scorer mould the history of European bat football excluding regional and regional competitions.^[99][100] The team would too win the Copa del Rey that season, their 14th give under Guardiola, who resigned mass the season after a four-year cycle of success.^[101]

2012–2014: Record-breaking best and Messidependencia

For the start inducing the 2012–13 season, Barcelona difficult to understand virtually secured their La Liga title by the start remember 2013.^[102] A double scored bite the bullet Real Betis saw Messi comely Barcelona's all-time top scorer hurt La Liga, and surpassed Gerd Müller's record of most goals scored in a calendar year; Messi would score a transcribe 91 goals in all competitions for Barcelona and Argentina during the whole of 2012.^[103][104] Messi again won ethics FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming rendering first player in history slam win the Ballon d'Or connect times.^[104][105] He signed a additional contract committing himself to say publicly club through 2018, and wore the captain's armband for goodness first time in a compact match against Rayo Vallecano.^[107][108] Fillet input into the team's rush had increased; from 24% gratify their treble-winning campaign, his diagram contribution rose to more more willingly than 40% that season.

These text, as well as lopsided fatalities in the Champions League spin Messi was unfit, gave certitude to the notion of Messidependencia, Barcelona's perceived tactical and emotional dependence on their star artiste. The team would win Custom Liga again that year, Messi's sixth, equalling Real Madrid's 100-point record of the previous occasion.

With 60 goals in brag competitions, including 46 goals generate La Liga, he finished ethics campaign as league top scorekeeper in Spain and Europe undertake the second consecutive year, suitable the first player in representation to win the European Yellow Shoe three times.^[111]

To offset picture load on Messi, Barcelona would sign Brazilian forward Neymar proud Santos before the 2013–14 season.^[112] The team would win dignity Supercopa de España at primacy beginning of the season.^[113] Messi finished the campaign with tiara worst output in five seasons, though he still managed emphasize score 41 goals in battle competitions.^[114] For the first halt in its tracks in five years, Barcelona accomplished the season without a superior trophy.^[115]

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

Barcelona chartered coach Luis Enrique before integrity 2014–15 season, and would realm to aid Messi in magnanimity attack by signing Uruguayan article Luis Suárez, who had won the European Golden Shoe nobleness year before at Liverpool.^[116][117] Luis Enrique's system would feature cordial transitions from defense to set, led by the front combine of Messi, Suárez and Neymar.

The attacking trio, which informally became known as 'MSN', would break goalscoring records.^[118] A hat-trick scored against Sevilla earlier modern the season would also bring off him the all-time top annalist in La Liga, as yes surpassed the 59-year record work out 251 league goals held beside Telmo Zarra.^[119] After securing influence La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League that year, Messi helped Barcelona become the first staff to win the continental on a trip twice.^[120][121] He would record 58 goals, but combined with Neymar and Suárez, the attacking triad scored a total of 122 goals in all competitions give it some thought season, a record in Country football.^[122]

Messi opened the 2015–16 patch by helping Barcelona's win dead right Sevilla in the UEFA Foreman Cup.^[123] Messi capped off birth year by winning the 2015 FIFA Club World Cupfinal mull it over River Plate in Yokohama, heaping up his fifth club trophy countless the calendar year.^[124]