Lionel Messi
The Little Magician Who Became Football's Greatest
Born Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Argentina, Lionel Messi overcame a childhood growth-hormone deficiency, joined Barcelona at thirteen, won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards and captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup.
- 16 min listen
- Eight Ballons d'Or
- World Cup winner
- Barcelona's all-time scorer
Lionel Messi’s full 16 min audio biography, The Little Magician Who Became Football's Greatest, is available on Lyfestori for iOS. Listen to a free preview below.
A life in brief
Lionel Messi: life and timeline.
At ten he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. The treatment cost around $900 a month, more than his family could pay, and Argentine clubs would not cover it. Barcelona would. A sporting director wrote the offer on a restaurant napkin, and at thirteen Lionel Messi left Rosario for Spain with his father. He stands five foot seven. He scored 672 goals for Barcelona, won a record eight Ballons d'Or, and in 2022 finally won the World Cup.
- 1987
Born in Rosario
Born 24 June, the third of four children. His father, Jorge, managed a steel factory; his mother, Celia, worked in a magnet workshop.
- 1991
First club
Starts playing at four with Grandoli, a local club where his father coaches. His natural talent is immediately apparent.
- 1993
Newell's Old Boys
Joins one of Rosario's most prominent clubs at six. Teammates and coaches notice the small boy who dribbles past players twice his size.
- 1997
The diagnosis
At ten, doctors find a growth hormone deficiency. Treatment costs around $900 a month, far beyond the family's means. His grandmother Celia, who had taken him to training, dies the same year.
- 2000
A contract on a napkin
Barcelona's sporting director Carles Rexach watches him at thirteen and writes the first offer on a paper napkin at a restaurant. Barcelona also agrees to pay for the treatment.
- 2001
La Masia
Moves to Spain with his father to join Barcelona's youth academy. His mother and siblings stay in Argentina. He is homesick, struggles with the language, and is smaller than everyone.
- 2004
First-team debut
Comes on as a substitute against Espanyol on 16 October at seventeen — Barcelona's youngest league debutant at the time.
- 2005
First goal
Scores against Albacete on 1 May at seventeen years and ten months, assisted by Ronaldinho, then the club's biggest star. The torch passes.
- 2009
The treble
Pep Guardiola moves him from the wing to a central position. Barcelona wins La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League — unprecedented — and he takes the first of four consecutive Ballons d'Or.
- 2012
Ninety-one goals
Scores 91 in a calendar year across all competitions, breaking Gerd Müller's long-standing record of 85.
- 2016
Retiring from Argentina
After a third consecutive final defeat, he announces his international retirement, saying he had given everything for his country without success. Public outcry and his teammates bring him back.
- 2022
The World Cup
At his fifth and likely final World Cup he scores seven goals and provides three assists. Argentina beat France on penalties after a 3-3 draw, in what many consider the greatest final ever played.
Major achievements
Lionel Messi: major achievements.
- 01
A record eight Ballons d'Or
Including a record four in a row from 2009 to 2012 and another in 2015 — the most awarded player in the game's history.
- 02
Barcelona's all-time leading scorer
672 goals in 778 appearances, alongside ten La Liga titles, seven Copas del Rey and four Champions Leagues. A record that may never be broken.
- 03
The 2022 World Cup
Seven goals and three assists at his fifth World Cup, and a 3-3 final against France settled on penalties. It completed his collection of major honours and silenced the remaining critics.
- 04
Ninety-one goals in a calendar year
Scored 91 across all competitions in 2012, breaking Gerd Müller's record of 85 and demonstrating a consistency the game had not seen.
- 05
Copa América 2021
Argentina's first major trophy with him as leader: four goals and five assists across the tournament, and the image of Messi crying as he lifted it.
- 06
Making everyone else better
Holds the record for most assists in La Liga history. His vision and passing match his scoring, which is why teams built around him worked.
Turning points
Lionel Messi: defining moments.
- 1997–2000
The diagnosis and the napkin
A growth hormone deficiency at ten, treatment at around $900 a month, and a family who could not pay. River Plate and other Argentine clubs were interested and would not cover the cost. Then Barcelona's Carles Rexach watched him at thirteen, wrote the offer on a restaurant napkin, and agreed to pay for the treatment.
- 2001
Leaving Rosario
He moved to Spain with his father at thirteen; his mother and siblings stayed behind. He was homesick, struggled with the language, and was far smaller than the other boys at La Masia. None of them had his balance or his control.
- 2009
Guardiola moves him inside
A new coach built a style that suited him exactly, then pulled him off the wing into the middle where he could touch the whole game. Barcelona won the treble that season. It is when the argument about the greatest player of all time started in earnest.
- 2016
Quitting Argentina
Three finals lost in three years — the 2014 World Cup to Germany, the 2015 and 2016 Copa Américas to Chile. He announced his retirement from the national team, saying he had given everything without success. Public outcry and pressure from teammates changed his mind. The Copa América and the World Cup followed.
What you’ll take away
Lessons from Lionel Messi’s life.
- 01
Someone has to take the bet
Several clubs saw the talent and balked at the medical bill. Barcelona paid $900 a month for a thirteen-year-old and got 672 goals. The cost of backing someone early is almost always smaller than it looks.
- 02
The disadvantage can be the method
Five foot seven, with a low centre of gravity and exceptional balance. The thing that nearly disqualified him is exactly why nobody can take the ball off him.
- 03
Setbacks are not the verdict
He retired from Argentina convinced he had failed his country. He came back and won the Copa América and then the World Cup. The story was not over when it felt over.
Did you know
Facts about Lionel Messi.
- 01
Did you know that Lionel Messi's first contract with FC Barcelona was famously signed on a paper napkin because the sporting director was so eager to secure him?
- 02
Did you know that as a child, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, and his family moved to Spain partly because Barcelona agreed to pay for his expensive medical treatments?
- 03
Did you know that Messi won an unprecedented eighth Ballon d'Or in 2023, cementing his record as the most awarded player in the history of football?
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Lionel Messi.
What is Lionel Messi's full name?
Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini. Following Spanish naming custom, Messi is his father Jorge's surname and Cuccittini his mother Celia's.
Where did Lionel Messi grow up?
In Rosario, Argentina, where he played for the youth teams of Newell's Old Boys from the age of six. At thirteen he moved to Barcelona, which agreed to pay for the growth-hormone treatment his family could not afford, and he came through the club's La Masia academy.
Why is Messi called La Pulga?
“La Pulga” means “the flea” — a childhood nickname for a boy who was much smaller than his teammates but impossible to pin down with the ball at his feet.
Why did Messi leave Argentina as a child?
He was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at ten. Treatment cost around $900 a month, far beyond his family's means, and Argentine clubs including River Plate were unwilling to pay for it. Barcelona offered a contract and agreed to cover the treatment, so he moved to Spain in 2001 at thirteen.
Was Messi's first contract really written on a napkin?
That is the story. Barcelona's sporting director Carles Rexach watched him during a trial in 2000 and was so eager to sign him that he wrote the first contract offer on a paper napkin at a restaurant.
How many Ballons d'Or has Messi won?
A record eight. He won five between 2009 and 2015, including a record four in a row from 2009 to 2012 and another in 2015, and has added more since — more than any player in the game's history.
Did Messi ever retire from international football?
Yes, briefly. After Argentina lost the 2016 Copa América final — a third consecutive final defeat — he announced his retirement, saying he had given everything for his country without success. Public outcry and pressure from teammates brought him back.
Why does Messi point to the sky when he scores?
It is a tribute to his grandmother Celia, who took him to training sessions and matches as a boy and encouraged his passion for the game. She died when he was ten.
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