Lionel Andrés “Leo” Messi was born on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe Province. He is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team.
🏅 Major International Titles
Messi won the FIFA World Cup in 2022 in Qatar and was runner-up in 2014 in Brazil. He won the Copa América in 2021 in Brazil and 2024 in the United States, and was runner-up in 2007, 2015, and 2016.
He won the Finalissima in 2022 in England and an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games. Messi also won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2005 in the Netherlands and the South American U20 Championship in 2005 in Colombia.
⚽ Individual Records and Awards
Messi has won eight Ballons d’Or, six European Golden Shoes, and has been named the world’s best player by FIFA eight times. In 2025, he was named the All Time Men’s World Best Player by the IFFHS.
His records include most goals in a calendar year (91), most goals for a single club (672 for Barcelona), and most goals in La Liga (474). He also holds records for most goals (21) and most assists (12) in the FIFA World Cup, as well as most assists in international football (65).
🏟️ Club Career
Messi made his competitive debut for Barcelona at age 17 in 2004. He helped Barcelona achieve the first treble in Spanish football in 2008–09 and a historic second treble in 2014–15.
He won a club-record 34 trophies with Barcelona, including ten La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues. He departed Barcelona in 2021 and signed with Paris Saint-Germain, winning the Ligue 1 title twice.
Messi joined MLS club Inter Miami in 2023 and led them to their first MLS Cup victory in 2025. He won back-to-back league MVP awards in 2024 and 2025.
🇦🇷 Argentina National Team
Messi is the national team’s all-time leading goalscorer (125) and most-capped player (206). He won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics and assumed captaincy in 2011.
He led Argentina to three consecutive finals in the 2014 World Cup, 2015 Copa América, and Copa América Centenario, all of which they lost. After announcing his retirement in 2016, he returned to help Argentina qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Messi was central to ending Argentina’s 28-year trophy drought by winning the 2021 Copa América. In 2022, he led Argentina to its first World Cup victory in 36 years and became the first player to win the World Cup Golden Ball twice.
👤 Early Life and Youth Career
Messi was born the third of four children of Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini. On his father’s side, he is of Italian and Spanish descent, and on his mother’s side he has primarily Italian ancestry.
At age four, he joined local club Abanderado Grandoli where he was coached by his father. He started playing for Newell’s Old Boys at age seven and scored almost 500 goals during his six years there.
At age 10, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency and began therapy at age 11. In September 2000, at age 13, he had a trial with Barcelona and was signed by director Carles Rexach on a paper napkin.
After a year at Barcelona’s youth academy La Masia, he was enrolled in the RFEF in February 2002. He became an integral part of the “Baby Dream Team” and was the top scorer with 36 goals in 30 games during his first full season.
| Competition | Result | Year | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | Winner | 2022 | Qatar |
| FIFA World Cup | Runner-up | 2014 | Brazil |
| Copa América | Winner | 2021 | Brazil |
| Copa América | Winner | 2024 | United States |
| Copa América | Runner-up | 2007 | Venezuela |
| Copa América | Runner-up | 2015 | Chile |
| Copa América | Runner-up | 2016 | United States |
| Finalissima | Winner | 2022 | England |
| Olympic Games | Gold Medal | 2008 | Beijing |
| FIFA U-20 World Cup | Winner | 2005 | Netherlands |
| South American U20 Championship | Winner | 2005 | Colombia |