Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina. He joined Newell's Old Boys as a child and moved to Spain in 2000, when FC Barcelona agreed to support treatment for his growth-hormone deficiency. He entered Barcelona's La Masia academy and made his first-team competitive debut on October 16, 2004, against Espanyol, aged 17. At Barcelona, Messi became the club's leading competitive scorer, finishing with 672 goals in 778 first-team appearances. He helped Barça win ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, four UEFA Champions League titles, three FIFA Club World Cups, and three UEFA Super Cups. His 2011 Champions League final performance against Manchester United at Wembley included a goal in Barcelona's 3–1 victory. In 2012 he scored 91 goals for club and country, surpassing Gerd Müller's long-standing calendar-year record. Messi left Barcelona in August 2021 after the club said it could not register a new contract under La Liga financial rules. He signed for Paris Saint-Germain, where he won Ligue 1 in 2021–22 and 2022–23. In 2023 he joined Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. He captained Miami to the 2023 Leagues Cup, scoring in each of his first six matches in the competition, including the final against Nashville SC. For Argentina, Messi debuted in 2005 and was sent off less than a minute after entering his first senior match, a friendly against Hungary. He won Olympic gold at Beijing 2008. At the 2014 World Cup, he scored four goals and received the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, although Argentina lost the final 1–0 to Germany after extra time. He later led Argentina to the 2021 Copa América, ending a 28-year senior men's trophy drought, and to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. During the Qatar final, Messi scored twice in play and converted in the penalty shootout as Argentina drew 3–3 with France before winning 4–2 on penalties. He received another Golden Ball and became the first player to score in every round of a single World Cup: group stage, round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final. Argentina also won the 2024 Copa América, with Messi serving as captain. Individually, he has won a record eight Ballons d'Or, most recently in 2023. He has also held Barcelona's captaincy and Argentina's armband, becoming central to both teams' most successful modern eras. His left-footed finishing and playmaking defined his career internationally.