Lionel Messi Bio, Family, Career & Net Worth
Who Is Lionel Messi?
Lionel Andres Messi plays forward for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. Following FC Barcelona’s agreement to cover his medical expenses, Messi moved from Argentina to Spain at 13.
He helped his club win over two dozen league titles and tournaments there, earning him the title of one of the greatest players in history. For the sixth time, he won Europe’s Ballon d’Or in 2019, setting a record for the most goals scored in a calendar year.
Bio:
| Full Name | Lionel Andrés Messi |
| Nick Name | La Pulga |
| Date of Birth | June 24, 1987 |
| Age | 35 years old (in 2022) |
| Profession | Soccer Player |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Birthplace | Rosario, Argentina |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
Family:
Lionel Messi is a family man. He and his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, have three children: Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro.
Messi is very close with his extended family as well. He frequently visits his hometown of Rosario, Argentina, to spend time with his parents, grandparents, and other relatives. He also has a close relationship with his two brothers and sister.
Messi’s priorities are clear: family comes first. That’s why he makes sure to spend as much time as possible with those he loves most.
Lionel Messi has two brothers, Rodrigo and Matias. Rodrigo is the eldest of the three siblings, while Matias is the youngest. Both brothers were born in Rosario, Argentina.
Rodrigo is a professional footballer who plays for Newell’s Old Boys in the Argentine Primera Division. He began his career with the local side of Central Córdoba before moving to Newell’s Old Boys in 2013. He has represented Argentina at the under-20 level.
Matias is also a professional footballer who plays for Club Atlético Rosario Central in the Argentine Primera Division. Like his brother Rodrigo, he began his career with the local side of Central Córdoba before moving to Rosario Central in 2016.
Early Life:
On June 24, 1987, Messi was born in Rosario, Argentina. Unintimidated by his older brothers, Messi played soccer with his friends as a child. He joined Newell’s Old Boys, a Rosario-based club, at 8.
Messi was diagnosed with a hormone deficiency by doctors after he was recognized as being smaller than most kids in his age group. Jorge and Cecilia Messi decided to inject their son with growth hormones nightly, but it quickly became impossible to afford the monthly price.
Upon being offered the opportunity to train at FC Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia, and receiving medical coverage from the club, Messi’s family moved across the Atlantic to Spain in 2013. Messi moved quickly through the junior system despite being homesick.
As a result of Messi’s short stature (5 feet, 7 inches), speed, and relentless attacking style, he has been compared to another famous Argentinian footballer, Diego Maradona.
Soccer Career and Teams:
Since signing for FC Barcelona at age 13, Messi has only played for them. Additionally, he plays for the Argentina national team.
A mere 16 years old, Messi became the youngest goal scorer in FC Barcelona on May 1, 2005. That same year, he helped Argentina win the under-20 World Cup, scoring two penalty kicks.
Barcelona won the Champions League, La Liga, and Spanish Super Cup in 2009 under Messi’s leadership. The same year, after two consecutive runner-up finishes, he won his first FIFA “World Player of the Year” award/Ballon d’Or.
Maradona even gushed about his fellow countryman. The retired player told the BBC that he sees himself as very similar. “He is a leader and teaches beautiful football. He is different from any other player in the world.”
The soccer wizard continued to improve, eluding defenders while leading Barcelona to La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup championships in 2010 and 2011, and the Champions League title in 2011.
In 2012, Messi smashed records. He became Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer with 232 goals after scoring five in a Champions League match in March.
At the end of 2012, Messi had scored 91 goals in club and international play, surpassing Gerd Muller’s 1972 record of 85 goals. In January 2013, he broke another record by becoming the FIFA Ballon d’Or winner for the fourth time.
He returned to earth somewhat that year due to persistent hamstring injuries but became the all-time leading scorer in La Liga and the Champions League.
With Barcelona’s historic second treble in 2015, he won his fifth FIFA Ballon d’Or. As a result of winning his sixth Ballon d’Or four years later, Messi once again set a new standard for excellence.
Criticism of Argentina National Team Performance
Despite Messi’s success with Barcelona, he has been criticized for not helping Argentina’s national team win a major championship. While his team lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany, he was named player of the tournament.
Messi announced that he would leave the Argentina national team following Argentina’s second consecutive loss to Chile in the Copa America final in 2016.
He eventually reversed his decision, but participating in the 2018 World Cup did not bring him that elusive title. In a 2-1 win over Nigeria, Messi scored an early goal to help Argentina advance from the group stage. However, his two assists were not enough to prevent an eventual 4-3 defeat to France.
As a result of Messi’s harsh criticism of the referees following Argentina’s semifinal loss to Brazil, the South American Football Confederation bans him for three games.
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Image Gallery:
Lionel Messi on Social Media:
| Leo Messi | |
| leomessi | |
| @TeamMessi | |
| Youtube | @LeoMessi |
Lionel Messi’s Net Worth:
Soccer’s best player, Lionel Messi, is an Argentinian-born professional athlete. The net worth of Lionel Messi is $600 million. Lionel Messi earned most of his net worth playing for FC Barcelona as a striker and winger. Paris Saint-Germain announced on August 10, 2021, that Lionel would move from Barcelona. Besides playing for Argentina, he is also a national team member. During his time wif Barcelona, Lionel scored 672 goals in 778 appearances.
There is no doubt that one of the highest-paid athletes in the world is Lionel Messi, probably the highest-paid soccer player. In 2017, Messi earned an average of $168 million a year as part of his earth-shattering contract with Barcelona. Additionally, he earns roughly $40 million from endorsements, which means he made around $200 million under that contract.
