Lionel Messi Biography

Lionel Messi is an Argentinian footballer widely regarded as the one of the greatest players of the modern generation. He plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He has won FIFA world player of the year four times (a record already). He has often been described as
Diego Maradona’s successor because of his prolific goal scoring record and ability to dribble past opponents.

ionel Messi was born, 24 June 1987, in Rosario, Argentina to a working class family. His father was a factory steel worker, and his mother a cleaner.

He began playing from an early age, and his talent was soon apparent. However, at the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). This was a condition that stunted growth, and required expensive medical treatment, including the use of the drug Human growth hormone.

Local club, River Plate were interested in signing Messi, but didn’t want to pay for his medical treatment. However, Messi was given a trial with Barcelona, and coach Carles Rexach was impressed – offering Messi a contract (written on paper napkin!) which included paying for Messi’s treatment in Spain. Messi moved to Barcelona with his father and became part of the prestigious FC Barcelona youth academy.

Messi progressed through the ranks and was given his first appearance in the 2004/05 season becoming the youngest player to score a league goal. In 2006, Messi was part of the double winning team which won both La Liga (Spanish League) and Champions League . By next season, (2006-07) aged just 20, Messi was the first choice striker and a key part of the Barcelona team – scoring 14 goals in 26 league games.

In the 2009-10 season, Messi scored 47 goals in all competitions, equalling Ronaldo’s record total for Barcelona. As the seasons have progressed, Messi kept improving and breaking his own records. In the calender year of 2012, he broke the all time world record for most goals scored in a calender year. His final total of goals in 2012 was 91 – beating the previous record of 85 by German Gerd Muller, and Pele’s milestone of 75 in 1958.

At the start of 2013, in club football, Messi has scored 292 goals from a total of 359 appearances, and in international football, 31 goals from 76 appearances.

At the end of 2012, Messi turned down a very lucrative offer to play for an unnamed Russian side. It would have given Messi a salary of €20 million a year and made Messi the most expensive player in the world (Barcelona would have been paid €250million). He turned down the offer because he was unsure if he would be playing in major European championships and the difficulties in moving to Russia. Instead he signed a contract with Barcelona until the end of 1918. When asked about moving to the English Premier league, Messi revealed his sense of commitment to Barcelona.

International Career

Because Messi was brought up in Spain, since he was 11 years old, he has Spanish nationality. In 2004, he was offered the chance to play for Spain’s Under 20 side, but Messi decided to play for Argentina, the country of his birth. He led Argentina to victory in the 2005 FIFA Youth championship. Messi made his full international debut in August 2005, during a friendly against Hungary. In his first game, Messi was sent off for allegedly elbowing a player. The decision was contentious and not in keeping with Messi’s style of play which is not dirty, and has very rarely been accused of diving.

In 2006, he participated in the World Cup, becoming Argentina’s youngest player to play in the world cup. Argentina were eliminated in the quarter finals. In 2008, he won an Olympic gold medal for Argentina in football at the Beijing Olympics. Initially Barcelona had not allowed him permission to play, but new coach Pep Guardiola allowed him time off.

In the 2010 World Cup, Messi wore the number 10 shirt and played well to help Argentina reach the quarter finals, but Messi struggled to score and Argentina disappointingly lost 4-0 to Germany in the quarter final. Messi has admitted he is desperate to play in a world cup final. Success for Messi in the World Cup would be the last test of greatness. Pele by contrast was part of Brazil’s three times winning World Cup side ’58, ’62 and ’70.

Messi is widely regarded as one of the most exciting players of the modern age – in fact any age. He has a peerless ability to dribble and take on opponents. Maradona has described his ball control as supremely good. “The ball stays glued to his foot; I’ve seen great players in my career, but I’ve never seen anyone with Messi’s ball control.” Messi has said he wishes to retain the joy of how a child plays football

Style of play

Messi, playing for Argentina in 2011, has been compared to compatriot Diego Maradona and two-time FIFA/Ballon d'Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi has been compared to compatriot Diego Maradona, due to their similar playing style and stature,which gives him a lower centre of gravity than most players, allowing him to be more agile and change direction more quickly, helping him to evade opposing tackles. His short, strong legs allow him to excel in short bursts of acceleration and his quick feet allow him to keep control of the ball when dribbling at speed.[282] His former FC Barcelona manager, Pep Guardiola, once stated: "Messi is the only player that runs faster with the ball than he does without it. Like Maradona before him, Messi is predominantly a left footed player;[284][285] during the 2014-15 season however, he was able to partially improve his ability with his weaker foot. With the outside of his left foot, he usually begins dribbling runs, while he uses the inside of his foot to finish and provide passes and assists to team mates.Messi is widely regarded as one of the best players of all time, and alongside Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, as one of the two best players in the world of his generation.

Due to his pace and technical ability, Messi often undertakes individual dribbling runs towards goal, in particular during counterattacks, usually starting from the halfway line, or the right side of the pitch. However, he has also been described as a versatile, hard-working team player, with good vision, known for his passing ability and creative combinations, in particular with Barcelona midfield team mates Xavi and Iniesta.He is also an accurate free kick and penalty kick taker.With regard to his dribbling ability, Maradona has said of Messi: "The ball stays glued to his foot; I’ve seen great players in my career, but I’ve never seen anyone with Messi's ball control." Maradona considers Messi to currently be the greatest player in the world.Despite being neither physically imposing nor dominant in the air, due to his small stature and physique, Messi possesses notable upper-body strength, which, along with his balance and control, aids him in protecting the ball and withstanding physical challenges from opponents.

Tactically, Messi plays a free attacking role a prolific goalscorer, he is known for his finishing, pace, stamina, skill, dribbling, balance, positioning and quick reactions.He also occasionally functions in a playmaking role, due to his vision and precise passing.A versatile player, Messi is capable of playing anywhere along the front line, as he is comfortable attacking on either wing or through the centre of the pitch. He began his career as a left-winger or as a left-sided forward, but was later moved onto the right wing by former Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard, who noticed that from this position, Messi could cut through the defence into the middle of the pitch more easily, allowing him to curl shots on goal with his left foot, rather than predominantly crossing balls for team mates.He has more recently played as a striker, and in a "false 9" role under Guardiola.This role is characterised by Messi's apparent tendency to play as a centre forward, or as a lone striker, although he will often run back into deep positions, drawing defenders with him. His movement creates space for wingers, other forwards, and attacking midfielders to make runs, allowing him to provide them with assists, or giving him space to begin dribbling runs, and score goals or create attacking plays.With the Argentina national team, Messi usually plays anywhere along the front line. He began as a supporting forward, striker, or winger, but recently he has also played in a deeper, creative role, as an attacking midfield playmaker.