Lionel Messi – The Story So Far

Lionel Messi is considered to be one of the best football players of his generation and frequently cited as the world’s best contemporary player

Messi received several Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21 and won both by the tender age of 22.

However this great player of our generation has a humble beginning. Messi was born on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Argentina, to parents Jorge Horacio Messi, a factory worker, and Celia María Cuccittini, a part-time cleaner.

At the age of five, Messi started playing football for Grandoli, a local club coached by his father Jorge and later in 1995, Messi switched to Newell’s Old Boys who were based in his home city Rosario.

At the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. Primera División club River Plate showed interest in Messi’s progress, but did not have enough money to pay for treatment for his condition as it cost $900 a month.

When FC Barcelona expressed their interest, Messi left Rosario-based Newell’s Old Boys’s youth team in 2000 and moved with his family to Europe, as Barcelona offered treatment for his growth hormone deficiency.

He made his debut for FC Barcelona in the 2004–05 season and broke his team record for the youngest footballer to score a league goal.

His sparkling football career took off and Messi never looked back ever since.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3