Lionel Messi – Player profile 22/23
Player data
Main position
- Main position:
- Right Winger
- Other position:
- Centre-Forward
- Second Striker
Market value
Current market value:
€45.00m
Highest market value:
€180.00m
Jan 1, 2018
Last update: Mar 27, 2023
Market value details
Facts and data
Further information
Lionel Messi is the cousin of Maxi Biancucchi (Retired).
Lionel Messi is the cousin of Emanuel Biancucchi (Without Club).
Transfer history
Season
Date
Left
Joined
MV
Fee
21/22
Aug 10, 2021
Barcelona
Paris SG
€80.00m
free transfer
05/06
Jul 1, 2005
Barcelona B
Barcelona
€3.00m
–
03/04
Mar 5, 2004
Barcelona C
Barcelona B
–
–
03/04
Nov 28, 2003
Barça U19
Barcelona C
–
–
03/04
Sep 13, 2003
Barça U16
Barça U19
–
–
02/03
Jul 1, 2002
Barça Youth
Barça U16
–
–
00/01
Jul 1, 2000
Newell’s Youth
Barça Youth
–
free transfer
Total transfer fees:
Youth clubs
Grandoli FC (1992-1995), Newell’s Old Boys (1995-2000)
Stats of Lionel Messi
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Lionel Messi, notable stars likely playing in their last FIFA World Cup
All good things come to an end.
As painfully true as it sounds, it’s one of the unfortunate realities of life – and it also applies to soccer.
With the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar almost complete, the quadrennial tournament has provided a platform for some of the globe’s biggest stars to compete for a chance to represent their country in a tournament like no other.
However, some stars could be playing in their final tournament due to how old they’ll be for the next World Cup in 2026.
This year, though, will hit harder than previous ones, as some of the biggest names in the history of the sport are likely writing their final chapters at the World Cup. Let’s take a look at which players could be playing in the tournament for the last time in Qatar:
Lionel Messi, Argentina
It’s already been confirmed by the man himself – Qatar will be his last. Messi will go down as not just one of the best soccer players to ever take the field, but one of the best athletes of all time. Messi is currently 35 years old and will be 39 in four years, so now is the moment for Argentina to make a run so “La Pulga” can hoist the World Cup trophy for the first time.
He has appeared in four World Cups prior to this: 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal
As if it couldn’t get any worse for soccer fans, Ronaldo is also a possible name on the list. He posted a cryptic message on social media about his international future following Portugal’s quarterfinals exit against Morocco, and he will be 41 when 2026 rolls around.
If this is Ronaldo’s last World Cup, it will certainly go down as a memorable one. He became the first player to score in five different World Cups, but his time in Qatar was filled with controversy surrounding his club career and his standing with the Portuguese national team.
Luis Suárez, Uruguay
Controversial moments in World Cups but always a threat in front of goal, Suárez may also have competed in his last tournament in Qatar. He’ll turn 36 in January and 39 by 2026, so Uruguay might have had him available one last time. He played in the 2010, 2014 and 2018 editions.
Robert Lewandowski, Poland
One of the best strikers of this generation, Lewandowski is another one to watch.
He made his first appearance in the World Cup in 2018 and got his first ever World Cup goal in this year’s group stage against Saudi Arabia. He is currently 34 years old and will be turning 38 in August of 2026, which will be around the time of that World Cup if Poland qualifies.
Manuel Neuer, Germany
Germany is known for producing quality goalkeeper after quality goalkeeper, and Neuer will go down as one of the best shot-stoppers to ever do it. He played in the 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Cups, and he earned a title with Germany in 2014. Qatar marked the second straight edition in which Germany failed to make it out of the group stage.
Neuer turns 37 in March next year and would be 40 in 2026.
Gareth Bale, Wales
This was Wales’ first World Cup appearance since 1958, so naturally 2022 marked Bales’ first appearance. However, it might also be his last. He will turn 37 by the time the 2026 World Cup starts, if Wales is to qualify for a second straight time.
Luka Modrić, Croatia
Modrić just turned 37 in September, so he’d be 40 in the summer of 2026. The Croatian maestro has appeared in four World Cups: 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022. The latter two are the ones he’s most known for, as Croatia made an improbable run to the final before falling to France in 2018 and has made it to the semifinals in 2022. Modrić was awarded the Ballon d’Or in 2018, as well, for his performances internationally and with Real Madrid in Spain.
Guillermo Ochoa, Mexico
If there’s one goalkeeper who has delivered some marvelous World Cup performances in recent tournaments, Ochoa is the one. He’s 37 right now and will be 41 by 2026, which will be the year his nation is a co-host. The Mexican star played in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
Olivier Giroud, France
After Karim Benzema’s late withdrawal from Qatar with an injury, the spotlight reverted to the striker who started for France in its 2018 title run: Olivier Giroud.
Giroud failed to write his name on the scoresheet in seven games in Russia, but his chemistry with Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann and others played a significant role beyond just goals. Now 36, Giroud surpassed Thierry Henry as Les Bleus’ all-time leading scorer against Poland in Qatar in what might be his last World Cup. He’ll be 39 when the 2026 tournament begins.
Messi or Ronaldo. Who is for whom :: Football :: RBC Sport
Andrey Ponomarev shows which football people are for Cristiano Ronaldo and who are for Lionel Messi
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News
Mario Gotze ): ” Am I the “German Messi”? No, I want to be the “German Cristiano Ronaldo”.
Luis Felipe Scolari (April 2013): “Messi is a fantastic player, but Cristiano Ronaldo is even stronger. Barça footballers perceive the Argentine as the star of the team. While at Real Madrid, I got the impression that other players are jealous of Cristiano Ronaldo.
And despite everything, Cristiano Ronaldo is not inferior to Messi. And, in my opinion, he is the best.”
Jorge Mendes, Ronaldo’s agent (September 2013): “Cristiano Ronaldo is a better player than Messi.”
adv.rbc.ru
Radamel Falcao (December 2013): “Messi and Ronaldo are the most important footballers in the world. But I still sympathize more with Cristiano.”
Sergio Ramos (March 2014): “Am I afraid of Messi? I have never been afraid of rivals in my life. And by the way, the best player in the world is Cristiano Ronaldo, and only then – Messi. He is one of the best.”
Chicharito (September 2014): Ronaldo or Messi? Ronaldo is the best player in the world. Behind him is Messi.
Marcelino Elena (October 2014): “Ronaldo is the most perfect player in the history of world football. He is capable of scoring goals with his feet and head.
Cristiano is very strong physically. It seems like he wants to keep improving. He strives to score and improve his statistics. There are debates about him and Messi. Leo is fantastic, but I continue to insist that Ronaldo is the most perfect player.”
Mario Kempes (November 2014): “You have to admit that Cristiano Ronaldo is getting better all the time. It’s like wine, the older the better. And Messi, unfortunately for Barcelona, plays at a weaker level. I don’t see the killer instinct that Messi has shown before. The difference between them is that Cristiano Ronaldo is still hungry, he wants to stay in the elite and win the Ballon d’Or.
Arsene Wenger (November 2014): “When Messi sees Ronaldo score more, it affects his morale. Messi will not be able to keep up with the proposed pace, and in the end, this will make him miserable.”
Ricardo Quaresma (November 2014): “We are already used to comparing Ronaldo and Messi.
But everyone knows that the best in the world is Cristiano, and the other is inferior to him.
Zoran Tosic (January 2015): “Messi or Ronaldo? I don’t have such a question. For me, Ronaldo has always been better.”
Zinedine Zidane (January 2015): “Ronaldo is doing something alien. If he continues in the same vein, he can overtake Messi in terms of the number of awards.
Photo AFP
Pelé (March 2015): “Now, after years of Messi’s dominance, Ronaldo is the best player in the world.”
Alex Ferguson (April 2015): “Ronaldo could play for Millwall, Queens Park Rangers, Doncaster and score hat-tricks. I’m not sure that Messi is capable of this. Ronaldo has both feet, he is fast, good in the air and courageous. Of course, Messi is also brave, but I think he is a player for Barcelona.
Claudio Gentile (May 2015): “I think that Messi was simply not at the last championship.
No, it was not! Maradona won the world championship and the Italian championship in Napoli alone. In addition, I believe that Ronaldo is superior to Messi.”
Kaka (May 2015): “Ronaldo is a more professional and developed player than Messi. And also, Ronaldo was a real friend to me.”
Felipe Melo (April 2013): “Cristiano Ronaldo is a very good player, but Leo Messi is by far the best player in the world.”
David Beckham (April 2013): “Messi is a unique player who plays at an unbelievably high level. It is impossible to imagine another player of such strength. He and Cristiano Ronaldo are stronger than other modern footballers. And at the same time, Ronaldo still does not reach the level of Messi. Messi and Ronaldo may have some comparable technical ability, but Lionel is still the best player in the world.”
Photo by Global Look Press
Isco (July 2013): “I named my dog Messi because Leo is the best in the world, and so is my dog.
”
Guti (September 2013): “Currently the best in the world is Lionel Messi. Cristiano Ronaldo is not that much weaker, but Messi still surpasses him. They are the two best players in the world, but I prefer Messi.”
Sepp Blatter (October 2013): “Leo is a good guy. Any parent would want to have such a home. Very fast, plays great, like dancing. As for Cristiano Ronaldo, he is a commander on the field. One of them spends more time on the hairdresser than the other… I can’t say who is better. But between the two, I choose Messi.”
Jorge Valdano (November 2013): “Messi is the best player in the world. In second place is the injured Messi.”
Ronaldinho (December 2013): “Cristiano Ronaldo is most angry that he lives and plays at the same time as Messi.”
Ronaldo (December 2013): “I think Ronaldo and Messi are the two best players in the world. If I have to pick just one, then Messi is technically stronger.
”
Gianluigi Buffon (December 2013): “Now Ronaldo is showing something more than the rest. At the same time, Messi still remains the best with a big advantage.”
André Villas-Boas (January 2014): “If we look at Cristiano Ronaldo’s progress over the past year, we can see that he can get the Ballon d’Or. However, this should not affect the fact that Messi is the best player of his generation or in the history of football.”
Sergio Aguero (January 2014): “Messi is a man from another planet who will always be the best player in the world. Cristiano Ronaldo is very good at Real Madrid, but Messi is still the best even if he only scores one goal a year.”
José Mourinho (March 2014): “Messi is phenomenal and great. He doesn’t need to win anything with Argentina, he’s already great. Cristiano Ronaldo is also great, and he doesn’t have to become a world champion for this either.” Alessandro Nesta zones to play against Messi.
I was very unlucky, and besides, I was quite old! He has something special, completely uncharacteristic of ordinary players. Cristiano Ronaldo is also a great champion, but Messi is special, he is the most difficult opponent for a defender. Messi is capable of doing ten feints in a second, and it is simply impossible to resist him.
Koke (October 2014): “It’s hard to choose the best, they are both great football players, but Ronaldo is an athlete and Messi is God. He does incredible things on the field. Any team needs a player like Ronaldo, but I would take Messi in my team.”
Hristo Stoichkov (January 2015): “Messi will always be the best. People compare Messi to Maradona, Pele and Cruyff. Ronaldo is only compared to Messi.”
Diego Simeone (January 2015): “I think Messi alone is more dangerous than Real Madrid’s front trio of Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema put together.”
Raul (April 2015): “The best player is Lionel Messi.
I had a chance to play with Zidane, Ronaldo, Figo, Cristiano, but Messi is completely different. He makes everything look easy, even if it’s impossible.”
Joey Barton (May 2015): “I can’t believe there are people who think Cristiano Ronaldo is better than Messi. This person is playing a different game. In one episode, he left two world champions out of work. In another era, Cristiano would have been the best of his generation. In the era of Messi, anyone who has ever entered the field will be second.”
Lionel Messi records | UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League – Lionel Messi records – News
Introductory text
Lionel Messi has played more than a thousand matches for the club and the national team. Introducing the forward’s outstanding collection of personal bests.
Main photo/video
Lionel Messi continues to score goals for PSG
Getty Images
Text of article
Messi is one of only two players to have scored over 100 goals in European competition.
Over two decades at Barcelona, he earned himself the status of one of the greatest footballers of our time. Now the striker plays for Paris Saint-Germain and continues to break records. UEFA.com tried to bring together the main achievements of the Argentine in one list.
Club
All 123 of Messi’s Champions League goals for Barça
With a 3-0 win against Olimpik on 26 February 2023, Messi has reached 700 goals at club level. After making his debut at senior level at the age of 17, the Argentine has rewritten many records in the Champions League and the Spanish Championship. Messi also ranks second behind Cristiano Ronaldo in the all-time top scorers list in European competition (132 goals to 145) and in the European Cup/Champions League all-time top scorer list (129).goals against 140). Ronaldo is two years older than Messi.
Champions League
- UEFA Champions League group stage goalscoring record: 80 (71 for Barcelona)
- UEFA Champions League round of 16 goalscoring record: 29
- More total Champions League goals for one clubs: 120 (Barcelona)
- Record streak of Champions League seasons in which goals scored: 18
La Liga
- La Liga scoring record: 474
- La Liga single season scoring record: 50 (2011/12)
- Most La Liga hat-tricks: 36
- Most Spanish league titles: 10
- Most Golden Balls: 7
- Most Golden Boots: 6
- Highest goals scored in a calendar year: 79 in 2012 (91 if international goals included)
- Most European goals scored by a single club: 123 (Barcelona)
90 209
Individual achievements
Other club records
Argentina national team
Italy – Argentina 0:3.