Facts about Lionel Messi- 10 astonishing facts about the Goat of football

Facts about Lionel Messi

Leo Messi, (born June 24, 1987, Rosario, Argentina), Argentine-born football player who received a record-setting seven Ballon d’Or awards as the world’s top male player (2009–12, 2015, 2019, and 2021). In 2022 he helped Argentina win the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)’s World Cup. Alley sport brings you an article on Facts about Lionel Messi.

He is regarded as one of the greatest football players to have ever graced the game and is the only seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or and European Golden Shoe. Messi had spent all of his professional career at Barcelona prior to his move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

Facts about Lionel Messi
Facts about Lionel Messi

He won 34 major trophies with the Catalan club, including four UEFA Champions League titles. He is the all-time top goalscorer in La Liga, with his nearest rival being Cristiano Ronaldo in second place with 311 goals – more than 160 behind Messi. The Argentine is also the record-holder for most hat-tricks in La Liga history with 36. In this article you will too Facts about Lionel Messi.

Let’s see the astonishing 10 Facts about Lionel Messi :

Facts about Lionel Messi
Facts about Lionel Messi -10 astonishing facts about the Goat of football

1)F.C Barcelona hired Messi by writing his contract on a napkin.

In 2000, the famous F. C. Barcelona’s scout Carles Rexach flew to Rosario, Argentina, to see young Lionel Messi, 12, play football. He was an experienced man, former player and coach, quite used to deal with young sports promises but he was so excited when he saw Messi pick the ball, carry it and score as if alone in the pitch (yes, the usual Messi stuff), that he wrote a contract on a paper napkin and hired him immediately.

2)In 2006, Barcelona nearly sold Messi

In 2006, with the then-18-year-old just having played 25 matches for the Barcelona senior team that season, Inter Milan of Italy were ready to pay his gargantuan 150m release clause, which would have made him the most expensive player in history, nearly doubling the then-record of 76m set by Real Madrid to buy Zinedine Zidane in 2001. They also promised to triple Messi’s wages, but Messi declined the offer. It could have been a very different career for the Argentine, had he decided to move to Roberto Mancini’s Inter Milan and Serie A.

3) Messi dedicates the goals he scores to his grandmother by pointing in the sky.

At the age of four, he joined local club Grandoli, where he was coached by his father, though his earliest influence as a player came from his maternal grandmother, Celia, who accompanied him to training and matches.

He was greatly affected by her death, shortly before his eleventh birthday; since then, as a devout Catholic, he has celebrated his goals by looking up and pointing to the sky in tribute of his grandmother.

4) Messi’s international debut was unique

Unique… for all the wrong reasons! The Argentine was substituted on against Hungary in a friendly on August 17th 2005, and he was sent off within 45 seconds. He was adjudged by the referee to have elbowed a Hungary defender as he dribbled towards goal, and despite protests from his Argentina team-mates, he left the field of play. Disappointing for him, but he kicked on, and is now the Argentina national team’s captain, top appearance maker, and top goal-scorer.

5) Lionel Messi is the King of El Clasico

All Lionel Messi’s hat tricks where great, but there are two that F. C. Barcelona’s fans will never forget. Lionel scored his first hat trick in the Clasico against Real Madrid in 2007 (3-3), when he was just 19, and repeated this in 2014, this time in Madrid’s Stadium (3-4). That day Lionel Messi also broke the record of 18 goals in the Derby, held by another Argentinian Top player, the legendary Alfredo Di Stefano.

Facts about Lionel Messi.

Facts about Lionel Messi
Facts about Lionel Messi

6) A Tale of Two Nations

Some years after Lionel arrived at Barcelona, the Royal Spanish Football Federation became obsessed with a plan to invite him to join the Spanish Football Team. But Messi had a different idea; he wanted to follow the path of the former super star Diego Maradona and play for Argentina, so he declined the offer.

7) Lionel Messi suffered from growth hormone deficiency

At a tender age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency which was stopping his normal growth rate.His parents could not afford his treatment, which was $1000 a Month.

8) Breaking records right from the beginning.

At the age of 17, he made his league debut against RCD Espanyol and became the third youngest person ever to play on Barcelona. At that time he was also the youngest player to ever score for Barcelona.

9) Olympic Gold medalist.

At 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Messi won the gold medal while representing Argentina in the football competition.

10) GOAT footballer.

Messi has won 6 Golden Boots & 6 Golden Balls so far.Messi is such a brilliant individual that he has turned it into something different. He has won six Golden Balls (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019), six Golden Boots (2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019) and The Best award in 2019, among others.

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