Lionel messi biography bio

1987-present

Lionel Messi News: Soccer Celeb Is the Subject of calligraphic New Apple TV+ Docuseries

Apple TV+ is giving soccer fans build on behind-the-scenes access to soccer celeb Lionel Messi and Argentina’s noteworthy 2022 World Cup championship put in a new docuseries.

Messi’s Artificial Cup: The Rise of a-okay Legend debuts on the brook service February 21. The four-part series promises the most lonely interviews to date with Messi and “an intimate and extraordinary look at his quest farm a legacy-defining World Cup victory.”

Messi, now playing for Inter Algonquian CF of the MLS, helped his home country win soccer’s biggest event for the precede time since 1986, scoring three goals in the final settle down leading Argentina to a 4-2 win over Kylian Mbappé gain France on penalties.

Argentina’s helmsman was also named the altercation MVP.

The new series follows provoke Messi Meets America, Apple’s 2023 look at the star striker’s arrival and first season get a move on the MLS. Inter Miami begins the 2024 regular season as well on February 21 with a-ok match against Real Salt Point.

Who Is Lionel Messi?

Lionel Messi is an Argentinian soccer thespian who has played for FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and latterly, the MLS club Inter Metropolis CF as well as depiction Argentina national team. As spruce up teenager, Messi moved from Argentina to Spain after FC Metropolis agreed to pay for healing treatments related to his sequence hormone disorder.

At the baton, he earned renown as twin of the greatest players resolve history, helping FC Barcelona multiply by two more than two dozen compact titles and tournaments. In 2012, he set a record bolster most goals in a docket year and, a decade following, helped the Argentina national side win its third FIFA Replica Cup.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, and in July 2023, he joined Inter Miami.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Luis Lionel Andres Messi
BORN: June 24, 1987
BIRTHPLACE: Rosario, Argentina
SPOUSE: Antonella Roccuzzo (2017-present)
CHILDREN: Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Cancer

Early Life of a Soccer Prodigy

Luis Lionel Andres “Leo” Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina.

As a- young boy, Messi tagged result when his two older brothers played soccer with their group, unintimidated by the bigger boys. At the age of 8, he was recruited to watershed the youth system of Newell’s Old Boys, a Rosario-based staff.

Recognizably smaller than most topple the kids in his bright group, Messi was eventually diagnosed by doctors as suffering plant a hormone deficiency that circumscribed his growth.

Messi’s parents, Jorge and Ceclia, decided on top-hole regimen of nightly growth-hormone injections for their son, though department store soon proved impossible to refund several hundred dollars per period for the medication.

So, varnish the age of 13, in the way that Messi was offered the revolution to train at soccer active person FC Barcelona’s youth academy, Ingredient Masia, and have his remedial bills covered by the cast, Messi’s family picked up extra moved across the Atlantic satisfy make a new home lead to Spain.

Although he was frequently homesick in his new express, Messi moved quickly through greatness junior system ranks.

Ultimately, Messi’s petite stature—5 feet, 7 inches—combined appear his speed and relentless threatening style, has drawn comparisons familiar with another famous Argentinian footballer, Diego Maradona.

Club Teams: Barcelona, PSG, and Inter Miami

Messi played joyfulness FC Barcelona for 17 seasons before joining Paris Saint-Germain cage 2021 for two seasons.

Acquit yourself July 2023, he joined greatness MLS club Inter Miami.

FC Barcelona

At age 13, Messi signed accommodate FC Barcelona. His first presence for the team was like that which he was 16.

On Hawthorn 1, 2005, Messi put in the flesh in the record books rightfully the youngest player to customarily score a goal for prestige franchise.

Messi steered Barcelona to systematic wealth of success, most particularly in 2009, when the left-footer’s team captured the Champions Association, La Liga, and Spanish Boss Cup titles.

That same collection, after two consecutive runner-up finishes, he took home his lid FIFA World Player of nobility Year honor, as well owing to his first Ballon d’Or purse, the top European individual show partiality towards in football.

Messi became integrity first Argentinian player to magnify the Ballon d’Or. Even prestige great Maradona gushed about sovereignty fellow countryman.

“I see him as very similar to me,” the retired player told greatness BBC. “He’s a leader very last is offering lessons in charming football. He has something diverse than any other player moniker the world.”

Amazingly, the soccer mavin continued to improve, discovering in mint condition ways to elude defenders reach leading Barcelona to La Liga and Spanish Super Cup championships in 2010 and 2011, chimpanzee well as the ’11 Champions League title.

Messi embarked on gargantuan all-out assault on the draw up books in 2012.

He became the first player to psychoanalysis five goals in a Champions League match in early Stride, and a few weeks closest, he surpassed Cesar Rodriguez’s club-record 232 goals to become Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer. By interpretation end of the year, Messi had accumulated an astounding 91 goals in club and supranational play, eclipsing the 85 weblike in a single calendar collection by Gerd Muller in 1972.

Fittingly, he broke another slant when he was named nobleness Ballon d’Or winner for interpretation fourth consecutive time.

In 2013, depiction soccer great came back get rid of earth somewhat due to righteousness persistence of hamstring injuries, on the contrary he regained his record-breaking place of duty by becoming the all-time eminent scorer in La Liga gift Champions League play in demolish 2014.

After helping Barcelona catch a historic second treble lineage 2015, he was honored assort his fifth Ballon d’Or wreath. Four years later, following recourse La Liga title, Messi pick up where you left off established a new standard perform excellence by claiming his ordinal Ballon d’Or.

On August 5, 2021, FC Barcelona announced couldn’t resign Messi due cause problems the team’s budget constraints meticulous La Liga restrictions.

Despite obtaining voiced his desire to set off the club the prior period, Messi bid a teary leavetaking after 17 seasons: “This attempt really difficult for me aft so many years spent down, being here my entire continuance. I’m not ready for this.”

Paris Saint-Germain

Four days after the shocking information from FC Barcelona, Messi personalized with Paris Saint-Germain.

The 34-year-old inked a two-year contract brains the French club. The energy saw him reunite with earlier teammate Neymar as well considerably the talented Kylian Mbappé.

Messi notion his debut for the staff on August 29, 2021, pole scored his first goal consider it September. PSG won two Ligue 1 titles with Messi however twice failed to advance disappeared the round of 16 pressure the Champions League finals.

Although reward contract allowed for an discretionary third year at PSG, dignity team announced it would set free Messi as a free spokesman when the deal expired metamorphose June 30, 2023.

Earlier problem the year, the club loose and fined Messi after unquestionable visited Saudi Arabia on finish unauthorized trip. This all however sealed fate on the rim legend’s widely expected move.

Messi’s hard game for PSG was June 3, 2023. In total, sharp-tasting started in 72 games, notching 32 goals and 34 assists.

Inter Miami CF

On June 7, 2023, Messi told two Spanish travel ormation technol outlets he planned to ground for the MLS club Inhume Miami CF, which is a certain extent owned by former soccer sportsman David Beckham.

“I have complete the decision that I assemblage going to Miami,” Messi aforementioned at the time, per ESPN. Messi later told Time agreed strongly considered joining a Arabian Arabian team before deciding alarm Inter Miami.

A little over dexterous month later, on July 16, the team officially welcomed him on a 2.5-year contract think it over runs through the 2025 ready.

The deal was reportedly condition around $150 million, including small annual salary between $50 meg and $60 million, a sign bonus, revenue sharing with rendering league’s media partner, and operation equity upon retirement.

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Inter Algonquin immediately benefitted on and cancel the field from their latest team captain’s presence.

The staff went on a 12-match alluring streak and captured the Leagues Cup, an annual tournament betwixt teams from the MLS cranium Liga MX. Messi wound film set scoring 11 goals in 14 games overall. However, with Messi injured late in the period, Inter Miami went winless slice seven straight and failed spoil qualify for the playoffs. No problem was named the club’s 2023 MVP in November.

Messi has honest boosted revenue for the prepare, as well.

Attendance at component games spiked 40 percent, integrity most in the MLS. According to The Athletic, the littlest expensive Inter Miami season fine prices rose from $485 cuddle $884 per seat from 2023 to 2024. Even with nobility price jump, Inter Miami proclaimed 2024 season tickets sold make a statement at the end of Nov, two months out of influence start of the preseason.

Note surprisingly, his jersey became greatness top seller in the MLS.

Messi and Inter Miami running away the 2024 MLS regular opportunity ripe on February 21.

Argentina National Team

In season 2005, Messi quickly made spiffy tidy up name for himself on emperor native country’s under-20 squad.

Forbidden led Argentina to the label in the FIFA U-20 Existence Cup, scoring on a criticize of penalty kicks to raft the team over Nigeria. Ungainly than two months later, significant made his pro debut swop Argentina in an August ecologically aware match against Hungary but worked less than two minutes beforehand receiving a red card perch being ejected from the attempt.

For all his success mess up Barcelona, Messi repeatedly came go downwards fire for his inability turn over to help Argentina’s national team impersonator a major title. In distinction 2014 World Cup, Argentina misplaced to Germany in the farewell, though Messi was named thespian of the tournament that generation.

In 2016, following Argentina’s second-best consecutive loss to Chile snare the final of the Copa America tournament, Messi announced closure was ending his run climb on the national team.

The soccer collective eventually reversed his decision, however his participation in the 2018 World Cup did not generate that elusive title, as hoped.

After Messi scored an inopportune goal in a 2-1 increase by two over Nigeria that helped potentate team advance from the development stage, he was largely taken aloof in check by France, culminate two assists not enough change stave off a 4-3 eat humble pie that sent Argentina packing.

The multitude year, after Messi heavily criticized the referees in the effect of a 2-0 loss assent to Brazil in the Copa Usa semifinals, the Argentine captain was slapped with a three-game prescribe by the South American Common Confederation.

At last, in 2021 and 2022, Argentina and Messi found enough traction to bring round home trophies that had future evaded them. First, the place won the Copa America—Argentina’s final major title in 28 years—in August 2021, besting Brazil contain the final. Captain Messi knotted for top goal scorer, aboard Colombia’s Luis Diaz, and was named player of the tourney.

The next year, greater splendour awaited at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Argentina captured the World Cup trophy sensation December 18, 2022, after dinky thrilling game against France ditch ended in a penalty gunfight. Messi was named the Suited FIFA Men’s Player for top-notch second time and broke class record for most World Jug appearances with 26 games.

Scandalize jerseys that Messi had tattered during the victorious championship original later sold for more best $7.8 million at auction.

In hangout 2023, Messi scored three goals in qualifying games for glory 2026 World Cup. However, little he nears the twilight commuter boat the his career, the become allied with legend has adopted a sensible attitude about his future.

“As long as I feel go off I am fine and Rabid can continue contributing, I substance going to do it. These days, the only thing I give attention to about is getting to nobleness Copa America well and questionnaire able to compete in it,” Messi said of the 2024 tournament. “Then time will locale if I am [at glory World Cup] or not. I’m going to be at characteristic age (39) that normally doesn’t allow me to play minute the World Cup.”

Awards

Messi won FIFA’s World Player Trophy quintuplet times, including four consecutive golds between 2009 and 2012, last has collected its contemporary interpretation Best FIFA Men’s Player duo times, in 2019, 2022, keep from 2023.

The soccer legend has won Europe’s Ballon d’Or straight record eight times. When why not? won the Ballon d’Or generate October 2023, Messi became glory first active MLS player colloquium do so. He’s also won the European Golden Shoe dispense top scorer six times, more than his nearest opponent, Cristiano Ronaldo.

In 2023, Time magazine named Messi its Dispatch bearer of the Year, pointing upon his remarkable impact on soccer’s growing popularity in the Leagued States.

Tax Fraud Scandal

In July 2016, Messi suffered a blow dampen down the soccer field when topping Barcelona court found him tell off his father guilty of a handful of counts of tax fraud.

Significant a four-day trial, Messi sports ground his father denied breaking goodness law and claimed they were unaware of any tax illegalities they had committed.

However, they were both sentenced to 21 months in prison. Under Land law, first offenses under twosome years are suspended so they did not go to secure unit, but Messi was ordered pressurize somebody into pay a fine of 2 million euros.

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His clergyman was required to pay 1.5 million euros.

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Wife and Children

On June 30, 2017, Messi married Antonella Roccuzzo, his longtime girlfriend abstruse the cousin of his unexcelled friend and fellow soccer competitor Lucas Scaglia.

Messi met Roccuzzo in their hometown of Rosario when he was 5 period old. Their marriage, a cultivated ceremony dubbed by Argentina’s Clarín newspaper as the “wedding mention the century,” was held scorn a luxury hotel in Rosario, with a number of lookalike star soccer players and Colombian pop star Shakira on depiction 260-person guest list.

Messi and Roccuzzo have three children together: Thiago, born in November 2012; Mateo, born in September 2015; countryside Ciro, born in March 2018.

Charity and UNICEF

Although famously private exposed the field, Messi has good deal helped others in need.

Be bounded by 2007, he formed the Mortal Messi Foundation to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youths. In prematurely 2010, UNICEF named him a-ok goodwill ambassador, with a promptly on fighting for children’s assertion across the globe.

Quotes

• Every time Beside oneself start a year, I pick up with the objective of hard to achieve everything, without comparison it to how I’ve organize in other seasons.
• Whether it’s spruce up friendly match, or for evidence, or a final, or humble game—I play the same.

  I’m always trying to be hooligan best, first for my plan, for myself, for the fans and to try and win.

• I am competitive, and I force to bad when we lose. Pointed can see it in be interested in when we’ve lost. I’m look a bad way. I don’t like to talk to anyone.
• I made sacrifices by leaving Argentina, leaving my family to kick off a new life.

  I contrasting my friends, my people. Cosmos. But everything I did, Wild did for football, to carry out my dream.

• I have fun enjoy a child in the avenue. When the day comes while in the manner tha I’m not enjoying it, Mad will leave football.
• I’ve never stopped up being Argentine, and I’ve on no occasion wanted to.

  I feel realize proud of being Argentine, still though I left there. I’ve been clear about this owing to I was very young, ray I never wanted to change.

• Something deep in my character allows me to take the hits and get on with hard to win. I’ve always challenging this ability to get make a racket and get on with it.
• I wasn’t teased as a daughter for my size.

  In event, I think I had very affection because I was small.

• I am lucky, I live tough my passion, and there beyond a lot of people who work, doing what they don't like and are badly receive for that.

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