LIONELMESSI

LionelMessi

LionelMessiisasoccerplayerwithFCBarcelonaandtheArgentinanationalteam.Hehasestablishedrecordsforgoalsscoredandwonindividualawardsenroutetoworldwiderecognitionasoneofthebestplayersinsoccer.

WhoIsLionelMessi?

!  LuisLionelAndres(“Leo”)MessiisanArgentiniansoccerplayerwhoplaysforwardfortheFCBarcelonaclubandtheArgentinanationalteam.Attheageof13,MessimovedfromArgentinatoSpainafterFCBarcelonaagreedtopayforhismedicaltreatments.Thereheearnedrenownasoneofthegreatestplayersinhistory,helpinghisclubwinmorethantwodozenleaguetitlesandtournaments.In2012,hesetarecordformostgoalsinacalendaryear,andin2019,hewasnamedEurope'sBallond'Orwinnerforthesixthtime.

EarlyLife

!  MessiwasbornonJune24,1987,inRosario,Argentina.Asayoungboy,Messitaggedalongwhenhistwoolderbrothersplayedsoccerwiththeirfriends,unintimidatedbythebiggerboys.Attheageof8,hewasrecruitedtojointheyouthsystemofNewell'sOldBoys,aRosario-basedclub.Recognizablysmallerthanmostofthekidsinhisagegroup,Messiwaseventuallydiagnosedbydoctorsassufferingfromahormonedeficiencythatrestrictedhisgrowth.Messi'sparents,JorgeandCeclia,decidedonaregimenofnightlygrowth-hormoneinjectionsfortheirson,thoughitsoonprovedimpossibletopayseveralhundreddollarspermonthforthemedication.

EarlyLife

!  So,attheageof13,whenMessiwasofferedthechancetotrainatsoccerpowerhouseFCBarcelona'syouthacademy,LaMasia,andhavehismedicalbillscoveredbytheteam,Messi'sfamilypickedupandmovedacrosstheAtlantictomakeanewhomeinSpain.Althoughhewasoftenhomesickinhisnewcountry,Messimovedquicklythroughthejuniorsystemranks.Ultimately,Messi'sshortstature(5feet,7inches),combinedwithhisspeedandrelentlessattackingstyle,hasdrawncomparisonstoanotherfamousArgentinianfootballer,DiegoMaradona.

LionelMessi'sSoccerCareerandTeams

!  FCBarcelonaandArgentinaMessihasonlyplayedforFCBarcelona,wherehefirstsignedatage13.HealsoplaysfortheArgentinanationalteam.Bytheageof16,MessimadehisfirstappearancefortheFCBarcelona,puttinghimselfintherecordbooksonMay1,2005,astheyoungestplayertoeverscoreagoalforthefranchise.Thatsameyear,heledArgentinatothetitleintheunder-20WorldCup,scoringonapairofpenaltykickstopropeltheteamoverNigeria.

LionelMessi'sSoccerCareerandTeams

!  MessisteeredBarcelonatoawealthofsuccess,mostnotablyin2009,whentheleft-footer'steamcapturedtheChampionsLeague,LaLiga,andSpanishSuperCuptitles.Thatsameyear,aftertwoconsecutiverunner-upfinishes,hetookhomehisfirstFIFA"WorldPlayeroftheYear”award.EventhegreatMaradonagushedabouthisfellowcountryman."Iseehimasverysimilartome,"theretiredplayertoldtheBBC."He'saleaderandisofferinglessonsinbeautifulfootball.Hehassomethingdifferentthananyotherplayerintheworld."

LionelMessi'sSoccerCareerandTeams

!  Amazingly,thesoccerwizardcontinuedtoimprove,discoveringnewwaystoeludedefenderswhileleadingBarcelonatoLaLigaandSpanishSuperCupchampionshipsin2010and2011,aswellasthe'11ChampionsLeaguetitle.Messiembarkedonanall-outassaultontherecordbooksin2012.HebecamethefirstplayertoscorefivegoalsinaChampionsLeaguematchinearlyMarch,andafewweekslaterhesurpassedCesarRodriguez'sclub-record232goalstobecomeBarcelona'sall-timeleadingscorer.Bytheendof2012,Messihadaccumulatedanastounding91goalsinclubandinternationalplay,eclipsingthe85nettedinasinglecalendaryearbyGerdMullerin1972.Fittingly,hebrokeanotherrecordwhenhewasnamedtheFIFABallond'OrwinnerforthefourthtimeinJanuary2013.

LionelMessi'sSoccerCareerandTeams

!  Thesoccergreatcamebacktoearthsomewhatthatyearduetothepersistenceofhamstringinjuries,butheregainedhisrecord-breakingformbybecomingtheall-timeleadingscorerinLaLigaandChampionsLeagueplayinlate2014.AfterhelpingBarcelonaachieveahistoricsecondtreblein2015,hewashonoredwithhisfifthFIFABallond'Ortrophy.Fouryearslater,followinganotherLaLigatitle,MessiagainestablishedanewstandardforexcellencebyclaiminghissixthBallond'Or.

!  ForallhissuccesswithBarcelona,MessihascomeunderfireforhisinabilitytohelpArgentina'snationalteamwinamajortitle.Hedidlead"LaAlbiceleste"tothefinalofthe2014WorldCup,andwasnamedplayerofthetournament,althoughhisteamlosttoGermany.

Stats!  AsofAugust2019,Messi'sall-time

highlightsforFCBarcelona:

!  Appearances:687

!  Goals:603

!  Assists:251

!  Shotaccuracy:48percent

!  Chancescreated:348

MessihaswonFIFA'sPlayeroftheYearsixtimes.He'salsowontheEuropeanGoldenShoefortopscorersixtimes,twomorethanhisnearestrival,CristianoRonaldo.

ContractandSalary

!  In2017,MessisignedanewcontractwithFCBarcelonathroughthe2020-21season,whenhe'llbe34yearsold.AccordingtoForbes,hereceiveda$59.6millionsigningbonus.andheearns$667,000perweek,forover$80millionannually.Messi'sbuyoutclausewassetat$835million(€700million).AsofJuly2019,BarcelonawassettoopentalkstonegotiateMessi'ssubsequentandtenthcontractwiththeclub.Almostuniversallyregardedasthebestsoccerplayerinthegame,MessihasadditionallybecomethecommercialfaceofsoccerwithendorsementsfromAdidas,Pepsi,EASportsandTurkishAirways,amongothercompanies.

ContractandSalary

!  Asof2019,Messiistheworld'shighest-paidathleteintheworldaccountingforsalaryplusbonusesandendorsements,accordingtoForbes,bypassingfellowsoccergreatRonaldoandbasketballstarLeBronJames.

https://www.biography.com/athlete/lionel-messi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84VLMIHMqMk