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Lionel Messi – biography, news, photos, date of birth, press dossier. Personalii GlobalMSK.ru.
Football player
Organization: Barcelona
Date of birth: June 24, 1987
Age: 35 years
Zodiac sign: Cancer
Occupation: Football player
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Biography
CHILDHOOD
Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. The head of the family worked at a local metallurgical enterprise, and devoted his free time to training a youth football team. The mother of the future sports celebrity was involved in the service industry. Four children were brought up in a large family.
Messi’s future football career was facilitated by his grandmother, who at one time brought her five-year-old grandson to the amateur club Grandoli. The woman declared that the boy had a unique gift and would become very successful, which she convinced the rest of the family. Lionel Messi remembers the support of a loved one all his life and dedicates every goal he scores to his grandmother Celia.
Studying at school was easy for the boy, and he spent almost all his leisure time in sports. At the age of 8, the student was already a member of the local professional FC Newell’s Old Boys. His first sports award was the Friendship Cup of Peru. Argentine FC River Plate drew attention to the promising young football player, but Messi never became a member.
Lionel Messi as a child
ILLNESS
At the age of 11, Lionel was diagnosed with a serious illness called growth hormone deficiency. Due to the disease, the boy became miniature compared to his peers. Every month, the family spent up to $900 to overcome the pathology, buying hormone injections.
Due to pathology, River Plate decided not to buy a promising young football player, unlike the scouts of the world famous FC Barcelona, who were not stopped by Messi’s illness in their intentions to get the player. They persuaded the boy’s parents to agree to send their son to Spain for viewing, and soon the 13-year-old athlete arrived in Barcelona, not particularly counting on any success.
However, the sports director of the Catalan FC, Carles Rexac, was delighted with the boy’s first training. He not only accepted him into the football team, but also took on all the costs of paying for the treatment of the child’s pathology.
Lionel Messi in his youth
SPORTS CAREER
The new millennium for the Argentinean Messi began with a move to Spain, where he began to play in Barcelona’s youth squad in 2000. Already in his first match, the athlete made poker by scoring 4 goals, and over the next 30 games he scored 37 goals against opponents. The football player’s achievements impressed both the owners of the Spanish team and the coach of the Italian FC Juventus, who wished to “rent” the young man for one season, but the young athlete refused the offer and put on a Blue Garnet shirt, that is, Barcelona.
Three years later, Lionel Messi, playing for Barcelona, made his debut in professional football in a friendly match against FC Porto from Portugal.
Lionel Messi in Barcelona
In 2004, the first official match of the Argentine for Barcelona took place, in which the Catalans played against fellow countrymen from Espanyol, but then the striker did not particularly distinguish himself with his game. He scored his first goal a year later – against Albacete, being recognized as the youngest player in the history of the Catalan FC, who hit the enemy in the main Spanish championship. At that time, Messi was barely 18 years old.
From that moment on, the Argentinean’s career in Barcelona took off. The footballer almost every year received various awards. He was also recognized as the best player and author of the best goal.
In 2014, Barcelona extended its contract with the recognized world football celebrity striker for 4 years, promising the player to pay 20 million euros annually.
Lionel Messi in the Argentina national team
“Leo” (as the athlete was nicknamed), in addition to his achievements in football, is known for his generosity and active charity. Remembering the help that FC Barcelona gave him as a child, Lionel Messi regularly helps disadvantaged children. In 2007, the football player established a charitable foundation to financially support education and medical care for sick and poor children living in Argentina. In 2010, this foundation made a donation of 100,000 euros. The funds were directed to an educational program in Mexico with the support of UNICEF.
Lionel Messi and Walid Kashas
In 2012, the foundation paid in full for the treatment of Walid Kashas, a boy who was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency.
In 2013, Leo donated 600,000 euros to renovate a medical facility for children located in the football star’s hometown. Lionel Messi with his son Thiago He met her as a child, because they lived in the same city. As a boy, “Leo” often played football with his future wife’s brothers.
The couple officially announced their relationship in 2009. After 3 years, a boy was born to the lovers, who was given the name Thiago.
Lionel Messiah and Antonella Roccuzzo – wedding
Lionel Messi and Antonella Roccuzzo legalized their relationship in June 2017. The wedding celebration took place in Rosario. The holiday was arranged luxuriously, there were about 250 invited people, including world football stars and other celebrities.
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Lionel Messi – football player, biography, where he plays and personal life
Lionel Messi is one of the best football players in the history of the great game.
Argentine striker Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987 years old in the city of Rosario. Leo comes from a family of workers. Messi’s mother worked as a cleaner, and Jorge’s father worked at a steel mill. The future football legend grew up with two brothers (Matias and Rodrigo) and sister Maria.
Lionel Messi took his first steps in football at the age of five. Leo was taken to training by his grandmother Celia. She really wanted Messi to become a successful professional football player. Celia passed away when Leo was 11 years old. The Argentine dedicated many goals in his career to her.
The first team in the life of Lionel Messi was called “Grandoli”. At the age of seven, the future scorer joined the ranks of Newell’s Old Boys. In six years, Messi scored about 500 goals for the Newells. Leo made a huge contribution to the success of this team, which in the late 90s was called “invincible”.
Illness
Messi faced it at the age of 10. Doctors diagnosed a South American growth hormone deficiency. Messi’s height was less than 130 cm, the weight barely reached the mark of 30 kg. Messi’s future career was under serious threat, but, fortunately, the talented boy managed.
Doctors are gone Leo effective treatment. Messi’s future was saved by quadriceps injections. The procedures were expensive, Leo’s family struggled to raise money, the club helped a little, but Messi’s godfather Claudio provided the most funds.
Note that at that time Messi was actively interested in River Plate. Messi worked real miracles in the game with River, they immediately paid close attention to him, but the transfer never took place. There were several reasons. One of them is a boy’s illness. Also at that time, Argentina was hit by a crazy economic crisis.
Barcelona
At the age of 13, agents Martin Montero and Fabian Soldini drew attention to the future scorer. According to these people, they promised Jorge Messi that they would organize a viewing of his son in Catalonia. On September 17, 2000, both arrived in Barcelona, however, the viewing took place as early as October 3. The fact is that the sports director of Barça Reshak was in Sydney at that time.
Watching 13-year-old Leo took place against the background of 15-year-old boys. Reshak immediately appreciated the special abilities of the Argentine, convincing the management of Barça to allocate money for Messi’s treatment, as well as pay for the relocation of the Lionel family from Argentina to Spain.
On December 14 of the same year, Reshak signed an agreement to conclude an agreement with Lionel Messi on a napkin. It is curious that the former sports director of Barca did this while sitting in one of the entertainment venues. And in mid-February, the whole family of our hero moved to Catalan soil. On March 1, the final agreement was signed. Lionel was obliged to pay 100 million pesetas annually, and also promised a number of bonus payments.
Lionel’s first coach at Barcelona was Rodolfo Borrell. According to eyewitnesses, Messi had some problems adapting to a new place. One of the problems was the language barrier, as well as not the most respectful attitude towards immigrants from Latin America at that time. In addition, all of the relatives, except for Jorge Messi, expressed a desire to return back to their homeland. Messi also suffered one injury after another.
At the same time, a new CEO named Javier Farguel showed up at Barça. He wanted to reduce the Argentinean’s fee, and even as much as five times. Here Jorge Messi entered the case, threatening the court and the subsequent transfer of the boy to Real Madrid (Jorge actually had contacts with Jorge Valdano). As a result, in the winter of 2001, Lionel Messi signed a new agreement, which was even more profitable than the first one. By the age of 14, Messi had also completed his tedious course of treatment.
On February 17, 2002, Leo played his first match for the Barcelona youth team, exhausting the players of the Esplugues de Llobregat team. In that game, Lionel scored a hat-trick. In the first season, he scored 36 goals in 30 fights for the blue garnets. By the way, it was in the youth team of Barça that the Argentine met Fabregas and Pique. Arsenal were actively interested in all three, but, fortunately for Barcelona fans, the Blaugrana did not release the nugget to London. Piqué, in turn, went to Manchester.
The path to the first team of Barça
After one of the foreign tournaments, Pere Gratkos, who coached Barcelona C, noticed Leo. Gratkos asked to transfer Messi to the team led by him. Very soon, Leo moved to Barcelona B, playing for both farms along the way.
November 16, 2003 Lionel Messi made his debut for the main team of Barça. It was a control sparring with the Portuguese Porto. The Dutchman Frank Rijkaard released the Argentinean as a substitute at the end of the friendly confrontation.
The striker’s debut in the official game is dated October 16, 2004 (the game against Espanyol, also a substitution).
December 7, 2004 saw the debut of the magician in the Champions League. Then Barça opposed Shakhtar.
Messi scored his first goal for Barça on May 1, 2005, upsetting the modest Albacete. Then the Argentine was assisted by the no less legendary Brazilian Ronaldinho. Then the future multiple winner of the Golden Balls was only 17 years old, ten months and seven days.
November 2, 2005, Lionel Messi opened the scoring with his goals in the Champions League. The Argentinean helped the blue garnets defeat the Greek Panathinaikos.
Messi’s achievements in Barcelona
Thanks to his performances for the Catalan club, Leo won seven Golden Balls and six Golden Boots. Messi also has ten league titles in the Example, seven victories in the Spanish Cup, four victories in the Champions League, eight national Super Cups, three European Super Cups, and three triumphs at the Club World Cup.
In total, Lionel Messi scored 672 goals for Barça. This is an absolute record in the history of Barcelona. Moreover, this is a European record. In the Champions League, the Argentine scored 120 goals for the Catalans.
Messi is the best player in the history of Barcelona. He quickly became a real icon of the Camp Nou and an idol for millions of club fans from all over the world. His legacy is hard to underestimate. Leo was able to create a true cult.
Messi’s best goal for Barcelona is considered to be his crazy and already legendary slalom pass in the match with Getafe, which recalled the heroism of Diego Maradona in that very fight with the British at the World Cup-1986. However, to single out any one goal is a bit unfair. The ingenious Leo made a whole scattering of masterpieces for every taste for the “Blaugranes”.
Career in the Argentina national team
Messi was invited to the Spanish youth team, but Furia was refused. As for Leo’s debut for the Argentine youth team, it is dated 2004. Then Messi helped Albicelesta defeat Uruguay (8:0), scoring a goal and making two assists. Subsequently, Messi won the youth World Cup and the Olympic Games.
Messi’s debut for the Argentina national team took place on August 17, 2005. In that match, Leo got a red card, brushing off after a foul by the Hungarian Vancak. Vilmash grabbed Messi by the T-shirt, ending up with a yellow card.
September 3, 2005 Messi made his official debut for Argentina. Messi played in the selection for the 2006 World Cup against the Paraguayans, coming on as a substitute.
At the world championships, the maximum achievement of Lionel Messi is the final of the 2014 World Cup, in which his team lost minimally to Germany. The only goal in that meeting was scored by Mario Gotze, who scored in overtime.
In 2006, Argentina reached the quarter-final stage, losing in a penalty shootout to the same Germans. Messi did not take part in that match. In 2010, the Argentines also fizzled out in the quarterfinals, devastatingly losing to Germany.
In 2018, at the World Cup in Russia, Messi and the company completely flew out at the 1/8th stage, losing to the French, who won that world championship.
As far as the America’s Cups are concerned, Messi won silver three times, bronze once, and only once conquered this tournament. This happened in 2021. This year, Messi also submitted to the Finalissima – this is a new trophy that goes to the duel between the champions of America and Europe. The Argentines defeated Italy, Messi was one of the best on the field.
At the 2022 World Cup, the Argentines under the leadership of Lionel Scaloni first sensationally lost to Saudi Arabia, after which they beat the Mexicans and the Poles, making it to the playoffs from the first place in the group. Messi converted a penalty in a duel with the Saudis, then struck (from the game) the gates of Mexico. In the fight with the Poles, Leo did not convert a penalty kick – the kick from the “point” was parried by Wojciech Szczensny.
All 8 hat-tricks of Lionel Messi for Argentina 🇦🇷 – YouTube
PSG
In 2021, Messi finally decided to change the situation and with tears in his eyes said goodbye to the Catalan “Barcelona”. Leo decided to sign a contract with the French PSG. Then Messi admitted that he was ready to stay at the Camp Nou, however, the parties did not agree on a new labor agreement for a number of reasons.
In his first season as a PSG player, Messi won the French championship. Then there was a victory in the Super Bowl of the country.
In Ligue 1-2021/22, Messi scored six goals and provided 14 assists. In the current French championship, he has already scored seven times and scored 10 assists. His goal against Benfica was recognized as the best goal of the 2022/23 Champions League group stage.
At PSG, Messi plays in an attacking link with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. With the Brazilian Leo is well known since the days of Barça. In 2015, they helped Barcelona win the Champions League by defeating Juventus Turin in the final.
Messi and social media
Lionel Messi’s Instagram has 382 million followers. The Argentine superstar’s Instagram has about a thousand publications of all time. Leo himself is subscribed to 288 other accounts on the social network.
Messi’s most popular post on Instagram is a photo with a dog and children. The Argentine has collaborations with popular brands and promotional posts.
Wife and children
Messi’s wife – Antonella Roccuzzo. She has known the footballer since childhood. This is the only girl and the only love of Messi in his life. They started dating in 2008. In 2017, Leo married Antonella.
Roccuzzo gave Messi three sons. They are Mateo, Thiago and Ciro. The latter is the youngest of the sons. Ciro is now only four years old. Mateo is seven years old, and Thiago turned 10 in November. Messi dedicated one of his tattoos to him.
Triumph at the 2022 World Cup
In Qatar, Messi was finally able to realize his main football dream. He was finally able to become a world champion, along the way getting a prize for the best football player of the tournament.
At the Qatari World Cup, Messi was a real leader and playmaker of the Argentine national team. Leo scored seven goals, losing only to Kylian Mbappe, and scored three assists. Messi scored in two matches of the World Cup group stage, after which he scored in each of the playoff matches. In the final, the Argentine genius scored a brace and converted a penalty in the series.
In Qatar, Messi delivered what is undoubtedly his best World Cup performance, recalling some of his best performances when he was young. Leo skillfully conducted the game of the Scaloni team, gave out fantastic passes, scored himself, driving the opposing team’s defenders crazy. He really pulled a rather average, but exemplary team in terms of dedication, which rallied around its leader and helped him stand on a par with Diego Maradona.