Messi was born on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe Province, the third of four children of Jorge Messi, a steel factory manager, and his wife Celia Cuccittini, who … See more

Barcelona (2004–2021)
2004–2008: Rise to the first team
Messi would begin the 2004–05 season as a guaranteed starter for the Barcelona B team, but after some lobbying by the senior players, he would be promoted to the first team by … See more

As a dual Argentine-Spanish national, Messi was eligible to play for the national team of both countries. He debuted for Argentina in 2004 for Argentina's U20 team against Paraguay, and was subsequently included in the squad for the 2005 South … See more

Messi is widely regarded as one of the two best players of his generation, alongside Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, and one of the … See more

Newell's Old Boys (1995–2000)
A lifelong supporter of Newell's Old Boys, Messi joined the Rosario club when he was six years old. … See more

Style of play
Due to his short stature, Messi has a lower centre of gravity than taller players, which gives him greater agility, allowing him to change direction more quickly and evade opposing tackles; this has led the Spanish media to dub him … See more

Popularity
Messi was among the Time 100, an annual list of the world's most influential people, in 2011, … See more