Lionel Andres Messi Cuccittini, popularly known as Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional football player. He currently plays for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Argentine national team. He plays in the forward position. Lionel Messi is dubbed as one of the greatest footballers of all time. Until leaving the club in 2021, he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona where he won a club-record 35 trophies, including 10 La Liga titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles, and 7 Copa del Rey titles with the club. He has won a record seven Ballon d'Or awards, a record six European Golden Shoes, and in 2020 was named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. In addition, he holds the records for most goals in La Liga, most hat-tricks in the UEFA Champions League, and most assists in La Liga. At Barcelona, he has made 778 appearances for the club, scoring 672 goals and providing 303 assists in all competitions. In 2021, he became the second footballer (and second team-sport athlete) to surpass $1 billion in career earnings. Out of contract, he signed for Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021 on a free transfer and went on to win the league title (in 2021-22) and Trophee des Champions (in 2022).

On the international level, Lionel Messi holds the national record for appearances and is also the country's all-time leading goalscorer. He has represented Argentina at various age levels. He has represented Argentina at U20, U23, and the senior level. At the youth level, he won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, finishing the tournament with both the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe, and an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. 

Lionel Messi made his senior international team debut for Argentina on 17 August 2005. After his senior debut, he became the youngest Argentine to play and score in a FIFA World Cup in 2006 and reached the final of the 2007 Copa America where he was named young player of the tournament. As Argentina’s captain from August 2011, he led Argentina to three consecutive finals: the 2014 FIFA World Cup, for which he won the Golden Ball, and the 2015 and 2016 Copa America, winning the Golden Ball in the 2015 edition. After announcing his international retirement in 2016, he reversed his decision and led his country to qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, a third-place finish at the 2019 Copa America, and won the 2021 Copa America, while winning the Golden Ball and Golden Boot award for the latter. He then won this second trophy for Argentina on 2 June 2022, winning the third edition of the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions at Wembley. Since his debut, he has obtained 162 caps and scored 86 goals for Argentina. 

Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, and Neymar: Top 3 highest paid footballers in the world football 2020

Source: @independent.co.uk

Who won the Best Fifa Football Awards 2019? Lionel Messi and Megan Rapinoe

Who Will Win Ballon d'Or 2019?

Where was Lionel Messi Born?

Lionel Messi was born on 24 June 1987. His birth name is Lionel Andres Messi Cuccittini. He was born to a father, Jorge Messi, and a mother, Celia Cuccittini. His birthplace is Rosario, Argentina. He holds Argentine nationality. He has Italian and Spanish ancestry. His father is a steel factory manager, whereas his mother worked in a magnet manufacturing workshop. About his siblings, he has three siblings: two older brothers named Matias Messi and Rodrigo Messi, and one sister named Maria Sol Messi. 

He was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at the age of 10. The family relocated to Barcelona after he signed with the Spanish club Barcelona. The club agreed to pay his medical fees. In Barcelona, he suffered from homesickness after his mother returned to Argentina with his brothers and sister. He stayed in Barcelona with his father. His growth hormone treatment was completed at the age of 14.

Club Career Highlights

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19
• UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15
  
• Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
• Supercopa de España: 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018
• UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015

Paris Saint-Germain

• Ligue 1: 2021-22
• Trophee des Champions: 2022

International Career Highlights

Argentina U20

• FIFA World Youth Championship: 2005

Argentina U23

• Olympic Gold Medal: 2008

Argentina 

• Copa America: 2021
• CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions: 2022
  

Individual Honors

• FIFA Ballon d'Or/Ballon d'Or: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015
• European Golden Shoe: 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 2009
• FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2014
• Copa América Golden Ball: 2015
• UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award: 2011, 2015
• UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2009
• UEFA Club Forward of the Year: 2009
• Onze d'Or: 2009, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2017–18
• Globe Soccer Awards Best Player of the Year: 2015
• La Liga Best Player: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18
• La Liga Best Forward: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16
• FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2009, 2011
• FIFA Club World Cup Silver Ball: 2015
• FIFA Club World Cup Final Most Valuable Player: 2009, 2011
• FIFA World Youth Championship Golden Ball: 2005
• FIFA World Youth Championship Golden Shoe: 2005
• Olimpia de Plata (Argentine Footballer of the Year): 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017
• Copa América Best Young Player: 2007
• FIFPro Young World Player of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2008
• Bravo Award: 2007
• Golden Boy (Young European Footballer of the Year): 2005
• IFFHS World's Best Playmaker: 2015, 2016, 2017
• IFFHS Men's World Team: 2017, 2018
• La Liga Player of the Month: January 2016, April 2017, April 2018, September 2018, March 2019 
• FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
• UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year
• La Liga Team of the Season: 2014–15, 2015–16
• UEFA La Liga Team of The Season: 2015–16, 2016–17
• FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
• Copa América Dream Team: 2007, 2011, 2015, 2016
• AFA Team of All Time (published 2015)
• UEFA Goal of the Season: 2006–07, 2014–15, 2015–16
• World Soccer Greatest XI of All Time (published 2013)
• Creu de Sant Jordi: 2019

Career Stats

• La Liga top goalscorer: 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
• La Liga top assist provider: 2010–11, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19
• UEFA Champions League top goalscorer: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2018–19
• UEFA Champions League top assist provider: 2011–12, 2014–15
• Copa del Rey top goalscorer: 2008–09, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17
  
• Copa del Rey top assist provider: 2016–17, 2017–18
• FIFA Club World Cup top goalscorer: 2011
  
• FIFA World Cup top assist provider: 2018
• FIFA World Youth Championship top goalscorer: 2005
• Copa América top assist provider: 2011, 2015, 2016

Records: World

• Most (FIFA) Ballons d'Or: 5 (2009–12, 2015) (shared with Cristiano Ronaldo)
• Guinness World Record as top goalscorer for club and country in a calendar year: 91 goals in 2012
• Longest goalscoring run in a domestic league: 21 matches, 33 goals in 2012–13
• The only player to win more than one FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball
• Most appearances in the FIFPro World XI: 12 times (2007–2018) (shared with Cristiano Ronaldo)

Records: Continental

• Most European Golden Shoes: 6
• Top goalscorer in all club competitions in a calendar year: 79 goals in 2012
• Top goalscorer in a club season: 73 goals in 2011–12
• Most goals scored in a European Cup/Champions League game: 5 goals (shared with 13 other players)
• Most goals scored in the UEFA Champions League group stages: 65 
• Most hat-tricks scored in the UEFA Champions League: 8 (shared with Cristiano Ronaldo)
• Youngest player to make 100 appearances in the UEFA Champions League: 28 years, 84 days in 2015
• Top goalscorer in the UEFA Super Cup: 3 goals (shared with Arie Haan, Oleg Blokhin, Gerd Müller, Rob Rensenbrink, François Van der Elst, Terry McDermott, and Radamel Falcao)[
• Top assist provider in the Copa América: 11 assists
• Most goals scored in CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers: 21 goals (shared with Luis Suárez)

Records: Spain

• Most Best Player in La Liga awards: 6 (2009–13, 2015)
• Most Best Forward in La Liga awards: 7 (2009–13, 2015, 2016)
• Top goalscorer in La Liga: 419 goals
• Top assist provider in La Liga: 166 assists
• Most Pichichi Trophies: 6 (shared with Telmo Zarra)
• Top goalscorer in the Supercopa de España: 13 goals
• Top goalscorer in a La Liga season: 50 goals in 2011–12
• Most hat-tricks scored in a La Liga season: 8 in 2011–12 (shared with Cristiano Ronaldo)
• The first player to reach 300 La Liga goals: the only player to reach 350 and 400 La Liga goals.
• Most opposition teams scored against in La Liga history: 36

Records: Argentina

• Argentina all-time top goalscorer: 67 goals
• Top goalscorer for Argentina in a calendar year: 12 goals in 2012 (shared with Gabriel Batistuta)
• Only Argentine player to score against every CONMEBOL nation
• Youngest player to play for Argentina in a FIFA World Cup: 18 years, 357 days in 2006
• Youngest player to score for Argentina in a FIFA World Cup: 18 years, 357 days in 2006
• Youngest player to reach 100 caps for a country under CONMEBOL's jurisdiction: 27 years, 361 days in 2015
• Most Footballer of the Year of Argentina awards: 11 (2005, 2007–13, 2015–17)

Records: Barcelona

• Top goalscorer in the UEFA Champions League: 108 goals
• Top goalscorer in European competitions: 111 goals
• Top goalscorer in international competitions: 116 goals
• Top goalscorer in official competitions: 602 goals
• Top goalscorer including friendlies: 637 goals
• Most hat-tricks scored in all competitions: 41
• Most goals from free-kicks: 39
• Most goals scored from penalty kicks in La Liga: 51
• Top goalscorer in El Clásico: 26 goals
• Top goalscorer in the Athletic–Barcelona clásico: 24 goals
• Top goalscorer in the Derbi barceloní: 25 goals

Lionel Messi's Personal Life 

Looking at his personal life, Lionel Messi is a married man. He got married to his longtime girlfriend turned wife, Antonella Roccuzzo. They got married at a luxury hotel named Hotel City Center in Rosario on June 30, 2017, with about 260 guests attending the wedding. The couple knew each other since their childhood. The couple started dating in 2007. They first met at Lucas Scaglia’s place (one of Messi’s closest friends). The couple has been blessed with three children: the first son named Thiago Messi born on 2 November  2012, the second son named Mateo Messi born on 11 September  2015, and the third son named Ciro Messi born on 10 March 2018. At present, he is living happily with his wife and children together. 

Lionel Messi's Net Worth 2022

Lionel Messi is one of the best footballers of all time. The famous footballer’s net worth is estimated at $620 million as of 2022. He made this fortune from his football career as well as from endorsement deals. His present annual salary is more than $60 Million and his monthly income is over $5 Million. According to Forbes, Lionel Messi was the highest-paid athlete with $130 million (£110m) in pre-tax gross earnings last year. Back then, he earned €126 million in 2018 and was the highest-paid athlete in 2019. In April 2021, he purchased a 5,515-square-feet condo on the 9th floor of a luxury apartment building in Sunny Isles Beach in Miami for $7.3 million. In July 2021, Lionel spent his vacations in a house in Key Biscayne, Florida for a huge rent of $200,000 a month. The house was 8,202 square feet with 5 bedrooms (with 75″ smart HDTVs in each of them) and 5.5 bathrooms. 

Messi is Adidas's leading brand endorser. He was previously signed to Nike. Likewise, he has also made endorsement deals with Pepsi Konami, EA Sports, Dolce & Gabbana, Audemars Piguet, Gillette, Turkish Airlines, Ooredoo, and more. He also endorses Non Profit organizations like UNICEF and Red Cross. 

Lionel Messi is living a lavish lifestyle at present. 

Lionel Messi's Height and Weight

Lionel Messi stands at a height of 1.70m i.e. 5 feet and 7 inches tall. He has a bodyweight of 67kg. He has an athletic body build. He has a well-maintained body. His chest size is 40 inches, his waist size is 32 inches and his arms size is 12 inches. Moreover, he wears a shoe size of 10 (US) or 9 (UK) or 43 (EU). In addition, his sexual orientation is straight. He frequently does exercise to maintain his body. Overall, he has got a healthy body with tattoos on his body parts. 

Lionel Messi's Transfer History

• He started playing football for the youth team of Grandoli in 1992 and played until 1995. 
• In 1995, he joined the youth team of Newell's Old Boys and went on to play six years at the club. 
• In 2000, he then joined the youth team of Barcelona and began his career at the club where he signed his first professional contract with the club on 4 February 2004, which lasted until 2012.
• In August 2021, he joined French club Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal until June 2023 with an option for an extra year on a free transfer.