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Roots -

Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. Fun fact: it's the same place where revolutionary Che Guevara was born.

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Early start -

Leo Messi was just four years old when he joined local club Grandoli. At age six, he joined Rosario’s Newell's Old Boys, where he scored almost 500 goals from 1994 until 2000.

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Disorder -

At around age 10 or 11, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone disorder, also known as GHD. Treatments were expensive, and before his move to Spain his family struggled to pay for it.

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Move to Barcelona -

Messi was 13 when he got signed by FC Barcelona. The contract, signed on a napkin, covered the health expenses, and the move from Argentina to Spain.

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He didn’t start playing immediately -

Messi spent one year at Barcelona's youth academy before being enrolled in the Spanish soccer federation.

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“Generation 87” -

Messi was part of what became known as “Generation 87” or the “Baby Dream Team.” His teammates included Cesc Fàbregas and Gerard Piqué.

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First team debut -

Messi was just 16 when he first played for the first team in a friendly against FC Porto on November 16, 2003.

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Ronaldinho saw Messi's talent -

Then-Barcelona star Ronaldinho saw the potential in young Messi and took him under his wing, calling him "little brother."

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His Argentina debut didn’t go as expected -

Messi was sent off with a red card after just 47 seconds on the pitch, in his 2005 international debut.

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Indisputable player in the starting 11 -

By 2005, when Messi turned 18, he became a senior player, and the rest is history. Messi was on his way to becoming one of the greatest soccer players of all time.

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Playing style -

A versatile forward, Messi is known for his ball control, dribbling, and acceleration. His stature allows him to quickly pass through defenders and score.

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Top scorer -

In 2012, aged 24, Messi became the all-time top scorer in the history of Barcelona.

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Top scorer -

He’s also the top scorer for Argentina, with over 70 goals, beating Gabriel Batistuta’s previous record of 45 goals by a large margin.

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El Clásico -

He also holds the record as the top scorer and having the most assists in the El Clásico (Real Madrid vs. Barcelona).

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Most goals in a year -

In 2012, Messi broke Gerd Müller's record of the most goals scored in a calendar year, which was 85 goals set in 1972. Messi scored 79 goals for Barcelona and 12 for Argentina.

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Most goals scored for a single club -

Messi beat the record previously held by Pelé for Santos, after scoring goal number 644 for Barcelona in December 2020.

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Awards -

Since 2008, Messi has won six Ballons d'Or, six FIFA World's Best Player awards, and six European Golden Shoes (aka Golden Boot).

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He refused to play for Spain -

Messi was invited to play for the Spanish national team, but he refused as he wanted to play for his country, Argentina.

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Rivalry -

Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the two best soccer players in the world, have been compared for years. Their rivalry has become one of the most famous in the history of the sport.

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Nicknames -

Messi has several nicknames, including  ‘La Pulga Atomica’ (which translates to “The Atomic Flea”), “The Messiah," “The Magician,” and, of course, “The GOAT.”

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Celebration -

Messi usually celebrates his goals by pointing towards the sky, dedicating them to his late grandmother.

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Charity -

In 2007, he founded the Leo Messi Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to health, education, and sport.

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UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador -

In 2010, the soccer star was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

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Olympic gold -

Messi won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games with Argentina’s national squad.

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Religion -

Leo Messi is a devoted Catholic. In 2013, he met the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, at the Vatican. Of course, Pope Francis is also from Argentina, and happens to be a big soccer fan.

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The Golden Foot -

Japanese jeweller Ginza Takana made a golden replica of Messi’s left foot. It was sold to raise funds for victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and was priced at US$5.25 million.

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Family -

Messi has been in a relationship with his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo for many years. They got married in 2017 and have three sons together.

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Idols -

Messi looked up to players such as the Brazilian Ronaldo and the late Diego Maradona. ”Even if I played for a million years, I’d never come close to Maradona. Not that I’d want to anyway. He’s the greatest there’s ever been,” Messi said.

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Barça fans froze in August 2020 -

After dedicating his career to Barcelona, in August 2020 Messi expressed his desire to leave the club. But faced with a €700 million (about US$855 million) release clause, Messi opted for staying.

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Future? -

Messi's most recent contract with Barcelona expired at the end of June. Rumors link the player to big European clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, but it’s still unknown whether Messi will leave or sign a new contract with the Catalan club.

Sources: (Sky Sports)

See also: Soccer players who grew up in poverty

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