Lionel Messi Achievements: Lionel Messi is today a true icon of football. The Argentine striker is considered by many to be the best player of all time.
Lionel Messi Achievements
- Lionel Andrés Messi
- Born June 24, 1987, in Rosario (ARG)
- Â Argentinian, Striker
- Nicknames: Leo Messi, “El Pulga” (“the chip”)
Lionel Messi Career Goals
- 153 caps, 79 goals (ongoing)
- 1st selection: August 16, 2005, against Hungary (1-2)
- Olympic: 5 selections, 2 goals
- Prospects: 18 selections, 14 goals
- 2003/04 FC Barcelona C (ESP) 10 games, 5 goals
- 2003/05Â FC Barcelona B Â (ESP) 22 games, 6 goals
- 2004/2021  FC Barcelona  (ESP) 778 games, 672 goals
- (Spanish League: 520 games, 474 goals)
- (Spanish Cup: 80 games, 56 goals)
- (Spanish Super Cup: 20 games, 14 goals)
- (Champions League: 149 games, 120 goals)
- (UEFA Super Cup: 4 games, 3 goals)
- (Club World Cup: 5 games, 5 goals)
- 2021 Paris SG (FRA) (in progress)
Introduction
Lionel Andrés Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, a working-class city in the northeast of Argentina. The third child of Jorge Horacio Messi, a factory worker, and Célia Maria Cuccitini, a part-time cleaner, he has two older brothers, Rodrigo and Matias, and a younger sister, MarÃa Sol.
Family
When he was born, his family lived in Las Heras, a poor suburb located in the province of Mendoza, south of Rosario, in a small house on the edge of a narrow road that barely allowed two cars to pass. He started touching the ball at the age of four.
Messi’s Height Doesn’t Grow
At 8 years old, he did not go unnoticed, the big local club Newell’s Old Boys spotted him and integrated him into their youth team. Little Leo never ceases to impress his trainers. But two years later, little Lionel is diagnosed with a growth problem.
Solution of Height
Unable to grow naturally, he was prescribed treatment, but it turned out to be expensive (over $1,000 a month) and the Messi family struggled to afford the cost. She then seeks for her son away to reconcile this treatment and football.
Joined Barcelona
The solution will finally be found: FC Barcelona. Invited by the club to give it a try, he was quickly detected by Carles Rexach, the club’s former footballer. It was in March 2001 that Messi joined La Masia, Barça’s training center.
The Blaugrana club assures him to take care of all his health costs. From these beginnings, the Argentinian impressed: 21 goals in 14 games with the cadets. He was subsequently upgraded to reserve and signed his first professional contract in 2004.
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Unable to grow naturally, he was prescribed treatment, but it turned out to be expensive (over $1,000 a month) and the Messi family struggled to afford the cost. She then seeks for her son away to reconcile this treatment and football. The solution will finally be found: FC Barcelona. Invited by the club to give it a try, he was quickly detected by Carles Rexach, the club’s former footballer. It was in March 2001 that Messi joined La Masia, Barça’s training center.
Debut
Lionel Messi made his debut with the Catalan club on October 16, 2004. Frank Rijkaard, the Barcelona coach at the time, threw him into the deep end. He replaces Deco and gradually becomes a regular member of the group.
That day, the 37,000 spectators at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic did not suspect that the last eight minutes of this anecdotal derby, won by Barça, were also the first eight of the greatest player in the history of Barça.
Score His First Goal
Timid beginnings: he will only play 77 minutes in all and for all in the season. On May 1, 2005, he scored his first professional goal against Albacete. A little ladle bitten by Ronaldinho as an opening, a rebound, and a lob on a doorman named Valbuena, obviously too small. Lionel Messi’s first goal in a Barça jersey sets the tone. The Pulga will be an aesthete, more trendy aesthetics than hit-and-miss goals.
Won His First Title
He won his first titles the following year (the championship and the Champions League). But a few injuries prevent Messi from participating in the final sprint. It was finally during the 2006-2007 season that he fully revealed himself.
Alongside Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o, he established himself as a starter and scored 17 goals in 36 games. At the end of the 2007 calendar year, Messi made it onto the Ballon d’Or podium for the first time, finishing 3rd and making an appointment for the future.
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In 2008 with the arrival of Pep Guardiola at the head of the Blaugrana formation, Messi explodes. Under his orders, the Argentinian turns into a playing machine, being spared from injuries, and scoring. The style of play imposed by the technician highlighted all the genius of the Argentine.
Speed, precision, finesse, intelligence, Lionel Messi captivates and attracts all eyes. In total, he will shake the opposing nets 211 times in 219 games under the Guardiola era and win 14 trophies, including 2 Champions League. Chaining records and progressing evermore, he won four Golden Balls in a row between 2009 and 2012.
The Argentinian made a name for himself and definitively entered the history of football. Post- Guardiolais just a confirmation of the genius that the Argentinian possesses.
Become a Top Soccer
Records continue to fall. He became the top scorer in a calendar year (91 goals), the top scorer in the history of Barça, the top scorer in the history of La Liga, and was elected in 2017, the best player of all time by the Center d ‘Investigation of the History of Spanish Football.
He also added to his record a fourth Champions League in 2015 allowing him to win a fifth Ballon d’Or. The only downside for Messi over his entire career: his career and his record with the Argentine selection. La Pulga has not won any title with its national team.
In 2014, he reached the final of the World Cup but lost to Germany. He also lost three Copa America finals in 2007, 2015, and 2016. The last two were on penalties against Chile. He nevertheless remains the top scorer in the history of the selection, Olympic champion in 2008 in Beijing, and world champion under 20 in 2005.Â
Calm and modest, “Leo” is of a rather reserved character. Not very outgoing, he likes lazy mornings and cocooning at home. But that doesn’t stop him from being very hardworking in training. Bad loser, he is always thirsty for the ball and always gives the maximum.
Lionel Messi Awards
- 2014 World Cup finalist (Argentina)
- Copa America finalist in 2007, 2015, and 2016 (Argentina)
- Gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 (Argentina)
- Winner of the Under-20 World Cup in 2005 (Argentina)
- Winner of the Champions League in 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2015 (FC Barcelona)
- Winner of the UEFA Super Cup in 2009, 2011, and 2015 (FC Barcelona)
- 2006 UEFA Super Cup finalist (FC Barcelona)
- Winner of the Club World Cup in 2009, 2011, and 2015 (FC Barcelona)
- Finalist of the Club World Cup in 2006 (FC Barcelona)
- Spanish champion in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018 (FC Barcelona)
- Vice-Champion of Spain in 2007, 2012, 2014, and 2017 (FC Barcelona)
- Winner of the Spanish Cup in 2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 (FC Barcelona)
- Finalist of the Spanish Cup in 2011 and 2014 (FC Barcelona)
- Winner of the Spanish Super Cup in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2016 (FC Barcelona)
- Spanish Super Cup finalist in 2012, 2015, and 2017 (FC Barcelona)
- The Records of Lionel Messi Genius of World Football
Lionel Messi Personal Awards
- Golden Ball in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021
- Silver Ball in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017
- Eleven gold in 2009, 2011 and 2012
- Eleven silver in 2008 and 2017
- Eleven bronze in 2007
- 2009 FIFA Footballer of the Year
- 2nd Best FIFA Footballer of the Year in 2007 and 2008
- 2nd Best FIFA Player in 2016 and 2017
- Voted Best FIFPro Player of the Year in 2006
- Elected best European hope (Bravo Trophy) in 2007
- Received the “Golden Boy” Award in 2005
- Voted UEFA Footballer of the Year in 2009, 2011 and 2015
- 2nd Best UEFA Footballer of the Year in 2012, 2013 and 2017
- Named UEFA Best Striker of the Year in 2009
- Voted best player of the Copa America in 2015
- Voted Best Young Player of the Copa America in 2007
- Voted Best Player at the Club World Cup in 2009 and 2011
- 2nd Best Player of the Club World Cup in 2015
- Voted player of the year by “World Soccer” in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015
- Voted the best prospect of the year by “World Soccer” in 2006, 2007 and 2008
- Voted player of the year by “Globe Soccer” in 2015
- Voted La Liga’s Best Player (Alfredo Di Stefano Trophy) in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015 and 2017
- Elected Best La Liga Player (LFP Prize) in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015
- Voted best foreign player in La Liga in 2007, 2009 and 2010
- Voted best Argentine player playing abroad in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016
- Received the EFE Trophy in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012
- Named in the team of the tournament of the World Cup in 2014
- Named in the Copa America All-Star Tournament Team in 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2016
- Named in the FIFPro World XI Team of the Year in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017
- Named UEFA All-Star Team of the Year in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017
- Named in the ESM association type team of the year in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017
- Named in the type team of the year of the Spanish championship in 2014, 2015 and 2016
- Named in the all-time Argentina team by the AFA in 2015
- Named in the eleven types of the decade 2000-10 by the British newspaper “The Sun” in 2009
- World Top Scorer of the Year in 2011 (19 goals) and 2012 (25 goals)
- European Golden Boot in 2010 (34 goals), 2012 (50 goals), 2013 (46 goals) and 2017 (37 goals)
- Top scorer in the Champions League in 2009 (9 goals), 2010 (8 goals), 2011 (12 goals), 2012 (14 goals) and 2015 (10 goals) (FC Barcelona)
- Top scorer at the 2005 World Cup for 20-year -olds (8 goals) (Argentina)
- Top scorer in the Club World Cup in 2011 (2 goals) (FC Barcelona)
- Top scorer in the Spanish league in 2010 (34 goals), 2012 (50 goals), 2013 (46 goals) and 2017 (37 goals) (FC Barcelona)
- Elected “Champion of Champions” by the French magazine “L’Équipe” in 2011
- Named among the “legends of sport” by the Spanish daily “Marca” in 2009
- Voted best player of all time by the Dutch football magazine “Voetbal International” in 2017
- Voted the best player in the history of La Liga according to a study carried out by the Research Center for the History and Statistics of Spanish Football (CIHEFE) in 2017
- Received the “Platinum Konex” Award from the Argentinian “Konex” Foundation in 2010
- The elected revelation of the year by the group “Clarin” in 2005
- Voted Sports Personality of the Year by the Spanish radio stations “Onda Rambla” and “Punto radio” in 2008
- Elected international sportsman of the year (ESPY Awards) in 2012 and 2015
- Elected sportsman of the year by the Israeli newspaper “Yediot Aharonot” in 2011
- Appointed Honorary Citizen of the City of Rosario in 2011
- Named Sports Personality of the Legislative Assembly of the City of Buenos Aires in 2011
- UN Goodwill Ambassador in 2010
