Messi

MESSI 

- Lionel Andrés Messi, commonly known as Leo Messi, is an Argentine professional footballer born on June 24, 1987. He currently serves as a forward and captain for both Inter Miami, a Major League Soccer club, and the Argentina national team. Messi is widely recognized as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He has achieved numerous accolades, including a record-breaking eight Ballon d'Or awards and six European Golden Shoes. In 2020, he was honored by being named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. Throughout his entire professional career, which lasted until 2021, Messi played for Barcelona, where he secured an impressive 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, and four UEFA Champions League titles. On the international stage, Messi triumphed in the 2021 Copa América and is set to compete in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Known for his exceptional goal-scoring abilities and creative playmaking skills, Messi holds several records, such as the most goals in La Liga (474), the most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions League (eight), and the most assists in La Liga (192) and the Copa América (17). Additionally, he holds the record for the most international goals by a South American male, with 106 goals. With over 800 senior career goals for both club and country, Messi also holds the record for the most goals scored by a player for a single club, with 672 goals.

- personal information

full name -  Lionel Andres Messi

date of birth -  June 24, 1987 

place of birth - Rosario, Argentina

hight - 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)

Position - Forward, attacking midfielder

Number - 10

Messi made the move from Argentina to Spain when he was just 13 years old to join Barcelona. He made his competitive debut for the club at the age of 17 in October 2004. Over the next three years, he quickly established himself as a key player for Barcelona. In the 2008-09 season, Messi played a crucial role in helping Barcelona achieve the first treble in Spanish football. At the young age of 22, he also won his first Ballon d'Or that year. Following this success, Messi went on to win four consecutive Ballons d'Or, making him the first player to achieve this feat. In the 2011-12 season, he set records for the most goals scored in a single season in both La Liga and Europe, solidifying his position as Barcelona's all-time top scorer. Although he finished second for the Ballon d'Or in the following two seasons behind his perceived rival Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi regained his top form during the 2014-15 campaign. He became the all-time top scorer in La Liga and led Barcelona to a historic second treble, earning him his fifth Ballon d'Or in 2015. In 2018, Messi took on the captaincy of Barcelona and went on to win a record-breaking sixth Ballon d'Or in 2019. After his contract expired, he signed with Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021, where he spent two successful seasons, winning Ligue 1 twice. In July 2023, Messi made another move, this time joining the American club Inter Miami. In his first season with the club, he helped them secure the League Cup in August of that year.

EARLY LIFE

Messi was born in Rosario, Santa Fe on 24 June 1987. He is the third child of Jorge Messi, a steel factory manager, and Celia Cuccittini, who worked in a magnet manufacturing workshop. His father's side of the family has Italian and Spanish roots, with his great-grandparents immigrating from the Adriatic Marche region of Italy. On his mother's side, he has predominantly Italian ancestry. 

Growing up in a close-knit family that loved football, Messi developed a passion for the sport at a young age. He would constantly play with his older brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, as well as his cousins, Maximiliano and Emanuel Biancucchi, who both went on to become professional footballers. 

At the age of four, Messi joined the local club Grandoli, where his father coached him. However, his earliest influence as a player came from his maternal grandmother, Celia, who would accompany him to training sessions and matches. 

The death of his grandmother had a profound impact on Messi, occurring shortly before his eleventh birthday. As a devout Roman Catholic, he began celebrating his goals by looking up and pointing to the sky as a tribute to her.

Deep rooted supporter of Newell's Ancient Boys, Messi joined the Rosario Club when he was six a long time ancient. Amid the six a long time he played for Newell's, he scored nearly 500 objectives as a part of „The Machine of '87“, the near-unbeatable youth side named for the year of their birth, and frequently engaged swarms by performing ball-tricks amid half-time of the primary team's domestic recreations. In any case, his future as a proficient player was undermined when, matured 10, he was analyzed with a development hormone lack. As his father's wellbeing protections secured as it were two a long time of development hormone treatment, which fetched at slightest $1,000 per month, Newell's concurred to contribute, but afterward reneged on their guarantee. He was scouted by the Buenos Aires Club Stream Plate, whose Playmaker, Pablo Aimar, whom he loved. It was guessed that he fizzled to be marked to Waterway Plate due to his sick wellbeing, be that as it may in a 2019 meet, Messi uncovered that the club advertised to pay for his restorative treatment, in spite of eventually dismissing him. His goalscoring icon developing up was Ronaldo, with Messi calling him „the best forward I've ever seen.“

PERSONAL LIFE

- Messi has been in a romantic partnership with Antonela Roccuzzo, a fellow Rosario native, since 2008. Their connection dates back to their childhood, as Roccuzzo is the cousin of Messi's close friend, Lucas Scaglia, who is also a football player. Initially, they kept their relationship under wraps for a year, but Messi eventually acknowledged their bond in an interview in January 2009. A month later, they made their relationship public during a carnival in Sitges following the Barcelona-Espanyol derby.

Messi and Roccuzzo are proud parents of three sons. To celebrate the news of his partner's first pregnancy, Messi joyfully placed the ball under his shirt after scoring in Argentina's 4-0 victory against Ecuador on 2 June 2012. Two weeks later, he confirmed the pregnancy during an interview. Their first son, Thiago, was born in Barcelona on 2 November 2012. In April 2015, Messi happily announced that they were expecting another child. On 30 June 2017, he tied the knot with Roccuzzo at the luxurious Hotel City Center in Rosario. Later that year, in October, his wife shared the exciting news of their third child on the way. It's worth mentioning that Messi and his family follow the Catholic Christian faith.

Messi values his immediate family greatly, especially his mother, Celia, whose face he has permanently inked on his left shoulder. His professional matters are predominantly managed within the family circle. His father, Jorge, has been his agent since he was 14, while his older brother, Rodrigo, takes care of his daily schedule and public relations. His mother and another brother, Matías, oversee his charitable organization, the Leo Messi Foundation, and handle personal and professional affairs in Rosario.

Despite leaving for Spain at the age of 13, Messi maintains a strong connection to his hometown of Rosario, even preserving his distinct Rosarino accent. He still owns his family's old house, although it remains unoccupied. Additionally, he has a penthouse apartment in an exclusive residential building for his mother and a family compound just outside the city. Messi's dedication to his family is evident, as he once made a three-hour car journey from Buenos Aires to Rosario immediately after training with the national team. He spent the evening with his loved ones, stayed the night, and returned to Buenos Aires the following day in time for practice. Messi stays in regular contact with a select group of trusted friends in Rosario, many of whom were former teammates in "The Machine of '87" at Newell's Old Boys. During his time in Barcelona, he resided in Castelldefels, a village near the city. Although there were initial tensions with the club following his transfer, Messi has since reconciled and continues to thrive in his professional career.

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