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Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi

Net Worth

$600,000,000

Born in (City)

Rosario

Born in (Country)

Argentina

Date of Birth

24th December, 1987

Date of Death

-

Mother

Celia María Cuccittini

Father

Jorge Messi

Children

  • Thiago Messi
  • Mateo Messi
  • Ciro Messi Roccuzzo

About

Lionel Andrés Messi is a world renowned football player. He is a global icon when it comes to sports and athletics. Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains both Spanish club Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He is one of the highest paid football player. One of the most famous athletes in the world, Messi has been sponsored by sportswear company Adidas since 2006 and has established himself as their leading brand endorser. According to France Football, he was the world's highest-paid footballer for five years out of six between 2009 and 2014, and was ranked the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2019. Messi was among Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2011 and 2012. In February 2020, he was awarded the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, thus becoming the first footballer and also the first team sport athlete to win the award. Later that year, Messi became the second footballer (and second team-sport athlete) to surpass $1 billion in career earnings.

Early Life

Messi, whose real name is Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini was born as a third child into a family where football was adored. His father worked as a factory steel worker while his mother worked as a part time cleaner. Despite his not so humble economic background, destiny had bigger plans for him. His father saw the best in his children and encouraged their talents. Messi started playing at the age of five for a local football team called Grandoli, coached by his father. Messi switched to Newell’s old boys in 1995 where he became the part of a local youth house. Despite rejection from a team, Messi had greater things aligned for him. The sporting director of FC Barcelona, Carlex Rexach was made aware of Messi’s talent and gift when it came to soccer. He signed a contract on a napkin for Messi and promised to pay for his medical bills. Messi moved to Spain with his father where he was enrolled into the youth academy of the club known for training footballers. Messi trained with vigour dedication and commitment and that led him to make this appearance for Barcelona at just 16 years of age He broke record as the youngest player to ever score a goal, in May 2005.

Road to Success

Despite of having a very hard lifestyle in the past his success were noticed, as he quickly rise up the ranks of the football. One of the main step to his was that he was selected as the official football player of the Argentina national team at the age of only 13 which is considered to be the youngest age in the history of the football as of now. In 2005, Messi became the youngest player to score a goal for the FC Barcelona franchise which putting himself in the record books of the football history and making his not just an inspiration but a aspiration for the young football players. In the same year, he led the Argentina national football team to earn the title of the under-20 World Cup, scoring a various penalty kicks against Nigeria which was considered to be the one of the hardest football team at that time to beat. Messi’s most notable step in his path of success was in the year 2009, when he was first covered by the left footer’s team magazine for his penalty kicks and his unique playing technique captured the Champion League, La Liga, and in the Spanish Super Cup Titles. In the same year, he took first “FIFA World Player of the Year Record honor/Ballon d'Or award.” at his home and earning a nickname which will be long lasting forever i.e. “Messiah” from the Media of Spain. As of now Lionel Messi is considered to be the best and finest left foot player till now. At last, Messi’s journey to the football is only just faith but believe on his own abilities.

Challenges

Despite of earing so titles and many nicknames in the history of the football, Messi has also faced some of the biggest challenges in his life. Lionel Messi had a growth hormone deficiency at the age of eleven and could be treated to 900$ a month. The main challenge he faced was his height which was 5’6 because of which he was always being underestimated by his peers and always being told his height was not also the below category football selection category. Carles Rexach the sporting director to FC Barcelona had been aware of Messi's talents and was willing to pay for his treatment if he moved to Spain. His father was able to arrange a trial with the team. Rexach offered Messi a contract written on a paper napkin. Messi and his father moved to Barcelona and enrolled in the Club's Youth Academy. But he overcome this defect by showing his talent as a best left foot player in the history of the football. He lost his mother who is very beloved to him till date, when he was eleven years old. He dedicates each goal of his to his grandmother till date. His efforts were rewarded when he turned 13 and he was recognised by FC Barcelona’s sporting director. His treatment when on for three years and was successful but Messi is still one of the shortest players in the world with a height of 5’6. Despite suffering injuries, Messi proved his similarity to Argentina’s legend Diego Maradona after several comparisons. Conclusions, Messi’s story from challenges to success is the one of the saddest stories in the resumes of the football universe. But he is the patience and hard work always be the key to success.

Failures

Thigh injuries is very commonly the seen in the football players since the foundation the football. Messi also undergo some of the biggest foot and thigh surgeries in the history of the football. He had no control over breaking his foot against Real Zaragoza, which side-lined him for two months and 21 days. When he tore his thigh muscle against Celtic, which was his fourth thigh injury, he did have control over his destiny. He had been warned by the medical staff that if he played, he would risk re-injuring his thigh again—evidently the Argentine had been playing through the pain barrier. In 2008, Lionel Messi and Barcelona couldn’t break down Manchester United in the second leg, especially after Paul Scholes scored a brilliant long-range goal. In 2010, in the 4-0 loss to Germany, Messi kept running into the brick-wall partnership of Arne Friedrich and Per Mertesacker. Which was his underwhelming performance in the history of the football and FIFA World Cup Campaign

Achievements

ESPN Best Forward: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020|World Soccer Player of the Year: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019|FourFourTwo Best Footballer of the Year: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019|The Guardian Best Footballer In The World: 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019|Goal 50: 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15

Quotes

  • You have to Sacrifice and Fight to reach your Vision and Work hard for it
  • The best decisions aren’t made with your mind, but with your instinct.
  • A lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep.