Apart from his countless goals for FC Barcelona and Argentina, Lionel Messi is one of the most well-known people on the planet, but there's a lot about the star that most soccer fans are ignorant of. As Lionel Messi prepares for yet another stellar season with Barcelona, we share seven short facts about one of the game's all-time greats, both personally and professionally.
Messi has become the oldest player in La Liga history, with his brother and teammate Gerard Piqu closing up on the same amount of appearances. He's also won two Copas del Rey and two FIFA Club Awards after being voted FIFA World Player of the Year in 2013, two distinct trophies that have a larger influence on the game than the award itself.
If you've ever questioned how much money plays a part in a player's career, Messi set a record when he transferred from Espanyol to Barcelona B in 2005, cutting the team's budget to merely 46 million euros. With annual earnings of 36 million euros, he is now the highest-paid sports figure in the world. The number one reason for Messi's enormous earning potential, but luckily for him, there have been already some negotiations for increasing his deal with Barcelona.
Many believe Messi, along with Michael Jordan, Diego Maradona, Pel, Ronaldo, and Messi's idol, Ronaldo Dniel, to be one of the five best players in the history of the game. In addition, he has nearly a seven-goal advantage over anybody else in his career.
Of course, everyone being Spanish, with Messi having been born in Buenos Aires before migrating to Spain at a young age and then growing up in Los Colchoneros. On Sunday, July 5th, Messi will surpass Diego Maradona as the all-time leading goalscorer in Catalan football history, as well as the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA history.
Messi beat African superstar Ibrahimovic to become the world's highest-paid sports celebrity in 2018, prompting Real to pay the Belgian 5.1 million euros, bringing his marketing profits to 789 million euros and his personal earnings to nearly 600 million euros. While Leo's resume is remarkable, it is his foundations that have sustained him throughout his career. With family at his side, both on and off the pitch, he is quickly going to top the global sports market.
Lionel Messi was born on November 30, 1985, in La Segunda, Buenos Aires, to a working-class family of three children. Messi would often sneak into the local bars across the street to spend his afternoons drinking and partying before he was even legally allowed to. He also played for local youth teams at different periods throughout this time, and his call-up was a highlight of his career to the Argentina U-19 National Team in 2006 made him somewhat of a talent factory.
He earned his Argentina debut at the European U-19 Championship a year later, being the first South American to qualify for the competition.
Along with his excellent debut, he had a strong showing in that tournament, scoring five goals and assisting three times while leading his side to victory. He has continued to develop throughout the years, exhibiting his remarkable talent all across Europe and the world.
While some may label him an egoist, it appears that his mindset is to always prioritize others above oneself. Messi studied sports energetics and aerodynamics at the prestigious Buenos Aires University. It was only natural for him to put his efforts into anything that would assist him improve his game. This is very evident through the many commercials and ventures hes taken on throughout his career.
While some may dismiss him as a self-promoter, his great talent qualifies him for the title of genius. Messi may have only been a youngster when he first began playing football, but his remarkable talent may have something to do with his ability to achieve so much at such a young age.
After joining AS Roma in the Italian Serie A in 2009, the teenager quickly made a name for himself, climbing through the ranks to become one of Europe's greatest young talents at the age of just 21. His success was a product of both his talent and his hard work.
Messi demonstrated his extraordinary abilities in a variety of ways, including leading his young team to two consecutive Italian Championships and three consecutive zonal one crowns. He even became a coach at this point, and after several years as the B team's head coach, he was promoted to full-time head coach in 2011.
1. Messi was born on December 10, 1985, in the small city of La Laguna, Argentina.
2. Though he was only five years old, Messi migrated to Barcelona to continue his education.
3. His parents, Mendo (a teacher) and Lilian (a psychologist), wanted their son to have an excellent education and went to great lengths to give the smallest details their son needed when moving to Barcelona in 1997.
4. His first job when he moved to Barcelona was as an assistant coach at the local youth club, Las Ramblas. The club needed a new doctor to run the team but Messi was already a doctor at the local university.
5. Messi joined the Barcelona B team, playing alongside Gerard Piqu and Fran Escrib.
6. There was just one rule in his life, coming from a humble background he demanded the best from himself and his team-mates.
7. Though perhaps not as well-known as other greats, Messi has been knighted twice: once in 2012, by Queen Rania of Jordan, and in 2017, by King Felipe VI of Spain.
