By Alex Maragos, Andrew Malamis
Lionel Andres Messi was born on the 24th of June 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. He is an Argentinian football player who is playing as a forward in Ligue 1 (french league) in Paris Saint-Germain and is also the captain of the Argentina national team.
Messi’s Past
Messi was born and raised in central Argentina. He is of Italian and Spanish descent from his fathers side as he was the great grandson of immigrants from Italy, and on his mothers side he is mostly of Italian ancestry as well. He has loved football from an early age as his family was and is dear fans of football. He joined the Newell’s Yound boys just at the age of 6. He played for 6 years in Newell’s and during that time he scored almost 500 goals. His professional career was looking promising but was also threatened at just the age of 10 due to him being diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency.
His Time in Barcelona
Messi relocated in Spain at the age of 13 to join Barcelona. He made his debut at the age of 17 in October 2004 . He helped Barcelona win the first treble (when a club wins 3 trophies in a singular season) in season 2008-09. That year, at the age of 22, he was awarded with his first Ballon d’Or. 3 successful seasons followed and he won in total 4 consecutive Ballon d’Or’s. In the year 2011-12 he set the record of most goals in a single season while also being established as Barcelona’s top scorer of all time. In season 2015 becoming the all-time top scorer in LaLiga (Spanish league) and also leading Barcelona to a second treble, that year he was awarded with his fifth Ballon d’Or. Messi received captaincy of Barcelona in 2018 and in 2019 he received his sixth Ballon d’Or. As his contract ended in the year of 2021, his 20 years of stay in Barcelona had come to an end and as a result he signed a contract with Paris Saint-Germain.
His Records
World Records
One of only two players to score over 100 goals in UEFA club competitions, Lionel Messi is now plying his trade at Paris Saint-Germain after bringing the curtain down on a remarkable two decades at barcelona in summer 2021.
The records, milestones and unique achievements keep on coming.
How many Champions League titles has Messi won?
Messi has won the Champions League three times – in 2009, 2011 and 2015 (all with Barcelona). He was also a regular for the Spanish club when they won the trophy in 2006 but was not part of their squad for the final.
Messi’s club recordsMessi has amassed over 700 goals at club level since making his senior competitive debut just past his 17th birthday. He has rewritten the record books in the UEFA Champions League and Liga. Messi is also second only to Cristiano Ronaldo in the all-time lists for top UEFA clubcompetition scorers (he has 132, Ronaldo 145) and top UEFA Champions League/Europian Cup scorers (129 compared with Ronaldo’s 140). Ronaldo is two years Messi’s senior.
Messi’s Champions League records
- Most Champions League group stage goals: 80 (71 for Barcelona)
- Most Champions League round of 16 goals: 29
- Most Champions League goals for one club: 120 (Barcelona)
- Most successive seasons scoring in Champions League: 18
- Most Liga goals: 474
- Most Liga goals in a single season: 50 (2011/12)
- Most Liga hat-tricks: 36
- Most Liga titles won by foreign player: 10
- Most Ballon d’Or awards: 7
- Most ESM Golden Shoes: 6
- Most goals in calendar year: 79 in 2012 (91 including goals for Argentina)
- Most UEFA club competition goals for single club: 123 (Barcelona)
Messi’s Liga records
Messi’s individual honours
Messi’s other club records
Messi’s international records
As well as lighting up the club game, Messi has thrived on the international stage, sealing his status as an Argentina legend comparable to Diego Maradona when he captained his nation to FIFA world cup glory at Qatar 2022. He weighed in with two goals against France in the final and also converted his spot kick in the shoot-out as the Albiceleste triumphed on penalties.
Since making his debut in 2005 aged 18 following his starring role in Argentina’s FIFA U-20 World Cup win, Messi has won caps for 18 years running and scored in each of the last 17 (up to and including 2022). He also skippered his country to victory at the 2021 Copa América and Finalissima 2022, and is on course to become only the third man to register 100 international goals.
- Most Argentina caps: 172
- Most Argentina goals: 98
- Most caps for South American nation: 172
- Most goals for South American nation: 98
- Youngest Argentinian to score at a World Cup: 18 years 357 days
- First player to score in four different World Cup tournaments for Argentina
- Most individual World Cup appearances: 26
- Most Argentina World Cup goals: 13
- Only player to score in World Cup group stage, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final
