Lionel Messi

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Lionel Messi

Messi with Argentina during the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name
Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini[1]
Date of birth
24 June 1987 (age 32)
Place of birth
Rosario, Argentina
Height
1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[2][3][4][5][6]
Playing position
Forward
Club information
Current team
Barcelona
Number
10
Youth career
1995–2000
Newell's Old Boys
2000–2003
Barcelona
Senior career*
Years
Team

()
2003–2004
Barcelona C
10
(0)
2004–2005
Barcelona B
22
(1)
2004–
Barcelona
410
(374)
National team‡
2004–2005
Argentina U20
19
(0)
2007–2008
Argentina U23
5
(2)
2005–
Argentina
123
(61)
Honours[show]
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 March 2018
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 30 March 2018
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi Cuccittini (Spanish pronunciation: [ljoˈnel anˈdɾes ˈmesi]) (born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine footballer.[7] He plays for Barcelona and the Argentina national team as a forward. He also has Spanish citizenship, meaning he can play for Spain. Messi is widely considered by many experts and critics as the greatest football players of all time. Messi has 5 Ballon d'Or awards. Messi was awarded FIFA World Player of the Year in 2009.[8] His playing style and skills are very similar to the Argentine legend Diego Maradona. There is much competition between him and Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo because of their similar skill levels. 
Contents
    • 1 Early Life 
    • 2 Career 
        ◦ 2.1 FC Barcelona 
        ◦ 2.2 Argentina 
            ▪ 2.2.1 Retirement 
    • 3 Club career statistics 
    • 4 International career 
    • 5 Personal life 
        ◦ 5.1 Relationships 
        ◦ 5.2 Charity 
        ◦ 5.3 Tax Issues 
    • 6 References 
Early Life
Messi was born and raised in Rosario, Argentina. Messi is the third of four children of Jorge Messi and his wife Celia Cuccittini. 
Career
FC Barcelona
Messi began football at a young age and his potential was quickly seen by Barcelona. He left Newell's Old Boys' youth team in 2000 and moved with his family to Europe for Barcelona. They moved to Spain because Barcelona offered treatment for his growth hormone deficiency. He started in the 2004–05 season, and he scored his first goal on 1 May 2005 against Albacete from an assist by Ronaldinho. The goal made him a the youngest-ever scorer for the club at that time. Barcelona won La Liga that season for the first time in 6 years, and won the league for a second time in a row along with the Spanish Super Cup and UEFA Champions League in 2006. His first very good season was in the 2006–07 season; he became a first team regular, by scoring a hat-trick in El Clásico. He scored 14 goals in 26 league games. Maybe his most successful season was the 2008–09 season. In this season, Messi scored 38 goals. In the following 2009–10 season, Messi scored 47 goals in all games. That equals to Ronaldo's (Brazilian) record total for Barcelona. 
Argentina
Messi decided to play for his homeland, Argentina, in 2005. He led the team to the final game of the 2005 U-20 World Cup against Nigeria, which ended in a 2–1 Argentine victory. Messi scored two penalties as his national team won the U-20 World Cup. In addition to the gold medal, Messi was awarded with the Golden Shoe for most goals scored (6), and Golden Ball for best player. Messi was made captain of the national team in 2011. 
Retirement
On 26 June, Argentina once again lost to Chile on penalties in the Copa América Centenario after a 0–0 tie. Messi missed his penalty in the penalty shootout. This was Messi's third consecutive defeat in a major tournament final with Argentina, and his fourth overall. A day after the match, Messi announced his retirement from international football. 
Club career statistics
As of 10 September 2017
International career
After a slow start to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he helped Argentina qualify to the next round of the competition by scoring the first goal in the 2 - 1 win over Nigeria [9][10]. 
statistics 
As of 10 September 2017[11][12][13]
Team 
Year 
Apps 
Goals 
Argentina 
2005 
5 
0 

2006 
7 
0 

2007 
14 
1 

2008 
8 
0 

2009 
10 
0 

2010 
10 
0 

2011 
13 
1 

2012 
9 
0 

2013 
7 
0 

2014 
14 
1 

2015 
11 
0 

2016 
0 
0 

2017 
16 
4 
Total 
123 
61 
Personal life
Relationships
Messi has three children with his wife Antonella Roccuzzo. They are named Thiago Messi, Mateo Messi and Ciro Messi. Thiago was born on 2 November 2012, Mateo was born on 11 September 2015 and Ciro was born on 10 March 2018. On the bottom of Messi's cleats is the name of his first son, Thiago. 
Messi and Antonella married in June 2017.[14][15] 
Charity
When not playing on the field Messi finds time to do charity work. He started the Leo Messi Foundation in 2007 which helps children in at-risk situations. Messi also opened a kids park for children living in the hospital at the University hospital Vall d’hebron in Barcelona. 
Tax Issues
In July 2016 he was convicted of tax fraud[16] and sentenced to spend 21 months in prison. Messi was also fined two million Euros.[16] Messi never went to prison and the problem was resolved. 
References
    1. 
    • "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 11 June 2014. p. 2. Retrieved 15 July 2014. 
    • "Lionel Messi". UEFA.com. UEFA. Retrieved 13 July 2015. 
    • "Messi, Lionel". National Football Teams. National Football Teams. Retrieved 13 July 2015. 
    • "Lionel Andrés Messi". La Liga. La Liga. Retrieved 13 July 2015. 
    • "Messi: Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini". BDFutbol. BDFutbol. Retrieved 13 July 2015. 
    • "10 Messi". uefa.com. UEFA. Retrieved 27 January 2015. 
    • "Lionel Messi Website". 
    • "The Best FIFA Football Awards". FIFA. Retrieved 15 November 2017. 
    • https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/sports/world-cup/lionel-messi-argentina.html%7C Amid Argentina’s Drama, Lionel Messi’s Brilliance Emerges 
    • https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44623270%7C World Cup 2018: How Argentina kept World Cup hopes alive - BBC Sport 
    • "Lionel Andrés Messi – Goals in International Matches". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 February 2011. 
    • "Lionel Messi: A Career in Numbers". Retrieved 24 May 2012. 
    • "Lionel Messi: Career Statistics". Retrieved 24 May 2012. 
    • "Lionel Messi married his childhood sweetheart, and the photos are stunning". For The Win. 2017-07-01. Retrieved 2018-03-30. 
    • "Lionel Messi Wiki". thefamouscelebrity.com. Retrieved 2018-11-04. 
    16. "Lionel Messi handed jail terms in Spain for tax frauds". 

    • 
Argentina squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup

    • 
Argentina squad – 2010 FIFA World Cup


    • 
Argentina squad – 2014 FIFA World Cup Runners-up

Categories: 
    • 1987 births
    • Living people
    • Argentine footballers
    • Fraudsters
    • FIFA World Cup players