Childhood and youth
The athlete was born on June 24, 1987 in the Argentine city of Rosario. His nationality is mixed, and his zodiac sign is Cancer. He grew up with two older brothers, Matias and Rodrigo, and a sister, Maria Sol. Jorge Horacio, Lionel's father, worked at a local metallurgical plant and coached a youth football team in his spare time. Mother Celia Maria worked in the service sector.
The grandmother was involved in raising the young talent. As a child, when Lionel was 5 years old, she brought him to the amateur club “Grandoli” and convinced the family that the boy would grow into a talented football player, firmly declaring that the child had a gift that other children did not have. In the future, he did not forget the support of his beloved grandmother Celia, dedicating his goals to her.
Lionel Messi Childhood photo
Posted by Subrrat Kumar Behera on Friday, July 24, 2015
Lionel Messi as a child
Already at a young age, Messi's main passion was football. The guy played for the Newell's Old Boys club. At the age of 11, he began to have problems with growth hormone, the lack of which often leads to a complete stop in the development of the body, which would mean the collapse of his sports biography. Parents had to spend $900 every month to treat the disease. Thanks to the efforts of his family, Lionel's health suffered. Today the striker's height is 170 cm and his weight is 72 kg.
Soon the talented guy was noticed by FC Barcelona scouts and invited Lionel to Europe. He received 7 years of education, which, however, did not prevent him from achieving career heights. Later it became known that Messi and Roma striker Bojan Krkic are distant relatives. The roots of both players go back to the Catalan Peres family. The guys' great-grandfathers, Ramon and Gonsal, turned out to be siblings. Later, Ramona's granddaughter moved to Argentina, where she became the wife of Eusebio Baro Messi. And Gonsal's descendants remained in Catalonia.
Biography of Lionel Messi
Messi is truly a team player. He has many individual awards, but puts success as part of the football group first. As soon as a man is not called - both God and Messiah. But he modestly renounces such big names and urges fans not to put him on a par with the Almighty. Lionel can rightfully be called a born footballer. Despite some obstacles set by fate, he managed to overcome them, albeit not without outside help.
Lionel Messi family
Lionel was born in Rosario, a city in Argentina. He became the third son of Jorge Horacio and Celia Maria. His father worked at a metallurgical plant and coached local boys in football, and his mother worked in the service industry. Lionel has two brothers, Matias and Rodrigo, and a sister, Maria Sol.
All Messi brothers play football, but Lionel is the most successful among them
The parents had to work a lot, so the grandmother took care of raising the children. She seemed to know that Lionel had a bright future in football. Grandmother was firmly convinced that he had a special talent that other children did not have. She convinced the boy’s parents to allow him to join the amateur football club “Grandoli”.
Lionel Messi age
The future world-famous football player was born on June 24, 1987. Already at the age of five, he showed considerable promise, his grandmother especially believed in him, to whom he dedicates many of his successes and goals. However, at the age of 11 he was overtaken by an illness, which, however, he managed to cope with. At 19, the young man had his first love. True, he became a father with another woman, then Messi was already 25 years old. His career was at its peak when he broke the goalscoring record previously held by Gerd Müller.
All Lionel's tattoos were done by one artist - Roberto Lopez
Where does Lionel Messi live?
Due to their professional activities, Messi's family cannot travel far from Barcelona. Therefore, Lionel arranged a home in the small town of Castelldefels. Interestingly, at first he was surrounded by very noisy neighbors, and the football player solved this problem in a unique way. He wanted to protect himself from them with a large wall, but they threatened to sue him. Therefore, the football player simply bought their houses too. It’s no wonder that his property has its own football field for children. The exterior features a beautiful green garden as well as a barbecue area. The house is three-story, with large terraces and panoramic windows. The overall design follows a Mediterranean style.
Lionel prefers to relax at home with his family
Lionel Messi's height and weight
The footballer's height is 170 cm and his weight is about 67-69 kg. As it turned out, Lionel Messi suffered from a disease associated with the hormone somatotropin. It is responsible for the growth and development of the body. At the age of 11, there was a risk that Messi would remain a dwarf. The treatment was very expensive and it was a huge blow to the family's income. Parents began to contact different football clubs to take the young talent under their wing, but with a request for help with treatment. The management of Barcelona recognized Lionel's gift, they paid for expensive hormone injections, and also provided accommodation for him and his parents in Spain.
How much does Lionel Messi earn?
In short, Messi is a billionaire. But many are interested in more accurate numbers. The man makes money not only by playing football, he also took care of other ways to enrich himself.
Messi advertises a variety of products, making him recognizable to different audiences
Approximate statistical analyzes were carried out, during which it turned out that Lionel earns over 100 million dollars a year. Relatively speaking, per month this amount reaches almost ten million. Per week this is about 2.5 million dollars. Fans have calculated that Messi's football career brings him about four dollars every second.
And Lionel started with one and a half thousand euros, that’s how much his contract with Barcelona was worth in 2004. In the same year, the guy raised his income to ten thousand euros a week, and this amount was constantly growing. The footballer received a huge increase in the period 2010-2012, when he received the Golden Ball award. Barcelona renewed his contract, increasing his salary to 400 thousand euros per week, and in 2017 this amount increased by more than 100%, amounting to 870 thousand euros.
A film was made about the football player and a book was written called “Messi”
In addition, the man earns a lot from advertising. Pepsi, Adidas, Gilette, car and watch brands, airlines, games and even Dolce & Gabbana pay a significant fee to the football player. He invests in construction and real estate. For example, under his leadership, a 40-meter skyscraper was built in his homeland, Rosario. Together with his brothers, Messi opened a restaurant in the center of Barcelona. For 2021, he planned the construction of an amusement park in Nanjing, China. Among other things, Lionel owns a four-star hotel in Sitges and a hotel on the island of Ibiza. LEO wine products are produced under its auspices.
Barcelona
In 2000, the Argentine moved to Spain and began playing in the youth team of the Catalan Barcelona. In the first match, Lionel made poker, scoring 4 goals, and over the next 30 games he managed to send 37 goals into the opponents' goal. Three years later, he made his debut in professional football in a friendly match against the Portuguese FC Porto. Messi scored his first goal against Albacete in 2005, becoming the youngest player in the history of the Catalan club who managed to hit the opponent’s goal in the main Spanish championship.
The best statistics during the athlete’s career were recorded in 2012, when the striker sent 50 goals against opponents in La Liga matches. In the 2011/2012 season, the forward, who scored a double in the battle with Betis, scored his 86th goal in 66 matches. In doing so, he broke the 40-year-old record of German striker Gerd Müller.
During the same period, Messi became the first football player in the world to receive 4 FIFA Ballons d'Or. In terms of the number of these awards, the Argentine competed with another great football player of our time, Cristiano Ronaldo. The striker's income reached €20 million, and filmmakers made him the main character of the documentary.
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Lionel Messi as part of Barcelona
On November 25, 2017, Lionel extended his contract with Barcelona until 2021. The compensation amount was € 700 million. In subsequent years, the player who played under number 10 showed good results, as evidenced by numerous awards. In particular, in December 2021, the striker received the sixth Golden Ball in his career, as well as The Best 2021 award from FIFA. However, a lot has changed in 2021 with the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic.
The quarantine had a negative impact on the forward’s financial condition. The club's management decided to cut the players' wages by 70%. In addition, it obliged them to make contributions to maintain 100 percent of the earnings of ordinary employees. It is estimated that Messi's losses amounted to €5 million every month.
In May, Barcelona players resumed individual training at the Catalans' club base. Messi proved that he has maintained excellent physical shape and is ready for the start of the new season. However, he suffered a quadriceps injury in the process and was sidelined for several weeks. Barcelona played the first match after quarantine against Mallorca, winning with a score of 5:2.
Tonight, the Champions League quarter-finals will kick off without Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time since 2005
Posted by Goal on Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
met with Celta on June 29 with a draw (2:2). Fans remember the game for the conflict situation that arose on the field between the players and the coaching staff. Messi openly humiliated Eder Sarabia, who holds the post of assistant coach. When he approached him during a break to give instructions, Lionel simply turned away. The media note that this is not the first time Barcelona players have behaved this way. Apparently they are disappointed in coach Quique Setien.
On August 8, the return match of the 1/8 finals of the Champions League took place. The host team was the Italian Napoli at the Camp Nou stadium. The game was tense. In the 23rd minute, Lionel scored and scored a goal against Napoli. The match ended with a score of 2:0 in favor of the Spaniards. The blue garnets lost to Bayern in the quarter-finals of the League. The score turned out to be devastating - 2:8. For Catalan captain Messi, this loss was the biggest in his entire career.
The club began to prepare another contract for the football player. The Argentine's salary, according to his terms, was € 50 million for one playing season. The contract is valid until the summer of 2023. However, the striker himself was thinking about leaving the Catalan club. Messi has been frustrated by the team's mediocre results in recent seasons. Another reason why the footballer wanted to leave is the dismissal of coach Ernesto Valverde, with whom he had friendly relations.
Lionel Messi's best goals
Many football clubs tried to get the Argentinean. However, the main contenders for the transfer remained Manchester City, Juventus, Inter and Lokomotiv. They were ready to offer contracts with the most favorable conditions for the football player. CSKA defender Mike James wanted Messi to continue his career at Juventus and team up with Cristiano Ronaldo.
In the summer, the player deliberately began to boycott training and COVID-19 tests carried out by FC Barcelona. Thus, the captain demonstrated his desire to move to another club. Barcelona accepted the possibility of Messi's departure, however, on the condition that he pay compensation in the amount of € 700 million.
The amount seemed too high to the footballer, especially since the current contract stipulated the possibility of a free transfer. As a result, Messi’s fight “for freedom” was not successful - the footballer was forced to stay for the 2020/2021 season. He rejoined team training.
Argentina national team
Messi competed as part of the Argentine team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in China. In China he won the tournament, becoming an Olympic champion. At the 2010 World Cup, he reached the quarterfinals with the national team, where the Argentines suffered a crushing defeat from the Germans with a score of 0:4. Then Messi was one step away from the most important football trophy on the planet.
Messi achieved impressive results in the national team - in total he brought the team a large number of goals in international competitions: 68 in 136 matches. In 2010, during a game with Greece, Lionel received the captain's armband, thereby becoming the youngest national team captain in the history of Argentine football. In 2021, in the final of the Copa America, which took place in the USA, the team lost in a penalty shootout to the Chilean national team - 2:4, and Messi was unable to convert the kick from the 11-meter mark.
Posted by La Gaceta on Friday, June 4, 2021
Lionel Messi in the Argentina national team
Despite the heated announcement of his retirement, Messi came to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The Argentina national team drew with Iceland (1:1) and lost to the Croats (0:3). The match with Nigeria put everything on the line - progress to the 1/8 or an inglorious return home. Everyone was expecting a goal from the blue and white leader, and it happened in the 14th minute of the match. After beating Nigeria, Argentina advanced to the round of 16. On June 30, 2018, the French team “buried” the Argentina team. The match ended with a score of 4:3 in favor of the French, Messi and the team went home.
In May 2021, the coach of the Argentine national team invited Lionel to return to the squad to participate in the America's Cup. Despite the fact that the Argentina team managed to win the quarter-finals of several games, Messi’s skill was criticized by the media. The athlete himself did not deny that he was not satisfied with his own performance in the tournament; in addition, he complained about the poor quality of the playing fields.
Later, the player allowed himself to speak out sharply about unfair refereeing after a loss in a match with the Brazilian national team. In August, it became known that Lionel was suspended from participation in international tournaments for 3 months, and was also ordered to pay a fine of $50 thousand for a comment sent to a judge. The fall of 2020 became more productive: the athlete played 4 matches as part of the qualifying stage for the 2022 World Championships.
Personal life
The first official girlfriend of the famous football player is considered to be the Argentinean Macarena Lemos, with whom Lionel began dating at the age of 19. But Messi's passion for football soon put an end to the relationship. In his youth, the guy started an affair with another compatriot - model and Playboy star Louisiana Salazar. But this romance did not last long.
Lionel found true happiness in his personal life with his longtime acquaintance Antonella Roccuzzo. The football player met her in early childhood; they lived in the same city. Messi often played football with the girl's brothers. On November 2, 2012, Roccuzzo and Messi had a son, Thiago. And in April 2015, the famous football player confirmed that their family was again expecting a new addition. Soon there were two children: the couple had a son, Mateo.
On June 30, 2021, Lionel Messi married Antonella. Their wedding took place in the city of Rosario. The event was luxurious and took place under increased security measures, as the celebration was attended by 250 guests, including world football stars and other celebrities. In October 2017, the couple announced that they were expecting a child. In March 2021, Messi and his wife gave birth to a third heir, who was named Ciro. Photos of the athlete with his sons often appear on his Instagram page.
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Lionel Messi, his wife Antonella and children
In memory of his childhood years, when Messi had to fight for his own health, today he is involved in charitable causes. His foundation raises funds to help sick Argentine children in need of expensive treatment. Among the organization's wards there are also teenagers with a lack of growth hormone.
In 2021, Lionel and his father were accused of failing to pay part of their taxes. The forward was fined €2 million, and Jorge Messi €1.5 million, while the parent still had to serve 21 months in prison. But the athlete managed, through the creation of an offshore company, to hide those incomes that aroused suspicion among the tax authorities. The charges against the football player were dropped. What worked in Messi's favor was that he did not refuse to play in charity matches.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused all football matches to stop. Messi didn't waste any time in quarantine. He trained, promoted his business - the clothing brand The Messi Store, changed his hairstyle and shaved his beard. In addition, Lionel joined the fight against COVID-19. He donated €1 million to a medical center in Argentina and a hospital in Barcelona.
Personal life of Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi's first girlfriend is Macarena Lemos. He was 19 years old when the relationship began. But they were not destined to last long, because the young man’s passion for football was initially stronger than all his feelings. There was another short-term affair with Louisiana Salazar, a star of the men's magazine Playboy.
According to rumors, Macarena Lemos' parents were against her union with Messi because they wanted a rich husband for their daughter
Lionel Messi's wife
Messi's only wife was his longtime friend Antonela Roccuzzo. They know each other thanks to her brothers, with whom Lionel often played ball as a child. But they got married only in 2021. The wedding took place in Rosario with 250 guests, including relatives and world football stars.
There has never been any gossip around Lionel's personal life; he is a faithful husband and an exemplary father.
Lionel Messi's children
The wife gave the footballer three children. Lionel Messi's first-born son Thiago, born in 2012. In 2015, Mateo was born. During their wedding in 2021, the couple announced another upcoming addition, baby Ciro arrived next year.
Lionel Messi now
In 2021, the football player continued his sports career. The beginning of the year was not very successful for the athlete. In January, while playing in the Spanish Super Cup, Messi received his first red card at club level. The reason for the fine was a blow delivered by Lionel to the opponent's head. Later, in the 1/8 of the Champions League, Barcelona left the tournament - at this stage this happened for the first time in the team's history in 14 years.
Four-time #UCL champion Leo Messi … SIX-TIME Ballon d'Or winner
Posted by UEFA Champions League on Monday, December 2, 2019
Lionel Messi and his Ballons d'Or
The press often published forecast articles: journalists tried to guess which club the striker would prefer when his contract with Barcelona ended. Some of them were even humorous. So, in January, a fictitious correspondence between a player and Spartak appeared on the Internet. The short ironic dialogue included only 2 phrases: - Hi, Leo! (Hi Leo.)
- No. (No.)
Earlier, the media also reported that representatives of Inter Miami and David Beckham's FC were interested in the football player. In May, it finally became known that the striker had extended his contract with Barcelona until the summer of 2023.
Style of star children: son of Lionel Messi - Thiago
In the “Style of Celebrity Children” section, we talk about what kind of clothes celebrity children wear. Last time we got acquainted with the style of Benjamin Brady - the son of Gisele Budchen, and today the hero of our column will be the son of one of the best football players on the planet Lionel Messi and his wife Antonella Roccuzzo - Thiago.
On November 2, 2012, captain of the Argentina national team and Barcelona striker Lionel Messi became a father for the first time. The footballer's beloved Antonella Roccuzzo gave birth to a son in one of the Spanish clinics, which is located near Barcelona's home stadium, Camp Nou. The baby was named Thiago, and Messi announced his birth to his millions of fans on the social network:
Today I have become the happiest person in the world. My son was born, I thank God for this gift! Thanks to the family for their support.
Following the touching message, the young father also published a photo of his son. The footballer’s followers unanimously decided that black-haired Thiago is a copy of his dad, and since then Messi’s son has been almost the most popular “football” kid in the world. However, there is someone.
The question of how Thiago would dress does not seem to have even been discussed. The baby was immediately given a personalized Barcelona T-shirt with number 10, just like his dad’s. Only one other child received the same honor - Milan, the son of Gerard Pique and Shakira. He also became the owner of the equipment of the famous football club immediately after birth. Maybe that's why Milan and Thiago have a joint fan group on Facebook - it's almost impossible to choose which of the boys is cuter.
What Milan and Thiago are also similar to is the boundless love that their fathers have for their kids. We've already talked about how Gerard Pique adores Milan, but it's time to praise Messi's fatherly talent. Lionel dotes on his boy, and when he has free time, he rushes to spend it with his family. The football player publishes touching pictures with his son on social networks, talks about him in interviews and proudly takes him out onto the football field. The first time this happened was in 2013, when Barcelona won the Champions League final. The baby sat in Messi’s arms and even “allowed” his dad to use his personal pacifier for a group photo.
The fact that Messi is a crazy father, in the good sense of the word, can be seen by looking at his body. On the football player’s “golden” leg, which has hit the opponents’ goal so many times, there is a tattoo in the form of two children’s hands and the inscription “Thiago.” The son’s name is also on the hand of his mother, Antonella.
As soon as Messi opened an Instagram account, his fans learned a lot more about the life of little Thiago. For example, they witnessed the baby's first steps, his interactions with his parents and changes in his style.
How can a child whose father is a real Superman of his business dress? Messi's desire for ideals seems to have rubbed off on his child. In second place in the boy's stylish rating, after the jerseys of the Argentina national team and the Barcelona club, are superhero jerseys. His clothes feature prints of Superman and Captain America, with the words “I am a superhero!” and "I'm a rock star!" Since childhood, Thiago has been encouraged to win, but for now the kid prefers to enjoy the victories of his outstanding father.
