These are some facts about Lionel Messi that any fan should be aware of.
1. His full name is Luis Lionel Andres Messi.
2. He was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina.
3. Messi’s father, Jorge, was a steel worker and a young football coach in the area.
4- Messi was born without enough growth hormone, which stopped him from developing normally until he was 11 years old. Most importantly, his parents couldn’t afford to pay for his $900 monthly treatment.
5. Messi’s father started exploring for alternatives because his medical insurance would only pay for two years of therapy. The Buenos Aires team also scouted Lionel Messi, but they were unable to cover his medical expenses.
6- Messi’s family arranged a trial with Barcelona in September 2000 through their Catalan relations. Second, he made the first team director want to sign him right away due to his impression. He wrote Messi’s first contract on a paper napkin because he was out of paper.
7- Because of his nationality, Messi was ineligible to participate in organised youth team games during his first year. One of the few unexpected facts about Lionel Messi that few of his admirers are aware of is this one.
8- Because Messi was reluctant to talk, his teammates initially believed he was completely silent. Above all, he gave a commendable performance and stunned everyone with his skill. One of the most well-known truths about Lionel Messi, particularly among supporters of Real Madrid.
9. Messi experienced homesickness after his mother moved to Argentina. His father allowed him to remain in Barcelona.
10- After signing Fabregas, Arsene Wenger claimed he tried to sign Messi while he was still a youngster. To his dismay, Messi’s reluctance to quit his team caused the agreement to fall through.
11- Messi was a part of the “Baby Dream Team,” Barcelona’s all-time best young squad.
12- With 36 goals in 30 games, Messi lead the league in scoring for the entire 2002 season.
13- Messi is being courted by the Royal Spanish Football Federation to play for the Spanish National Team. On the other hand, Lionel Messi turned down the opportunity.
14- Messi used a protective mask to protect his injured cheekbone at the Copa Catalunya. But after a little while, Messi took off his mask and scored twice in the ten minutes before being replaced.
15. At the age of 17, Messi made his Barcelona debut against RCD Espanyol. He also became the third-youngest starter for Barcelona and the team’s youngest scorer. This is one of the most important Lionel Messi facts, in my opinion.
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16- Ronaldinho became aware of Messi’s greatness after his first training session. Above all, he gave his colleagues the reassurance that Messi would one day top the soccer world. Furthermore, Ronaldinho introduced himself to Messi and called him his “little brother.”
17- Messi saved Juveniles A from relegation by scoring five goals in ten games. In a Copa Del Rey game, he scored a hat-trick while Sergio Ramos was man-marked.
18- Ronaldinho assisted Messi in scoring his first goal as a senior.
19. On his 18th birthday, Messi signed his first contract to play for the senior team. His deal included a €150 million buy-out clause that was extended to 2010.
20. Then-Juventus coach Fabio Capello wanted to loan Messi after his outstanding performance against Juventus.
21- Under Capello’s direction, Inter Milan made a bid for Messi. In addition to his €150 million release clause, they were willing to pay treble his salary. He finally decided to stay in Barcelona.
22. Messi missed Barcelona’s 2006 UEFA Champions League final triumph over Arsenal in Paris due to an injury. He later regretted not celebrating his team’s Champions League victory because he was too depressed to do so.
23- Messi made history by becoming Argentina’s youngest player at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
24. In his first game, Messi, 24, became the sixth-youngest player to score in a FIFA World Cup competition.
25- On March 10, 2007, Messi scored a hat-trick in an El-Clasico, making him the first player to do so in 12 years. Real Madrid’s goals from him brought the score even, and the game ended in a 3-3 tie after extra time.
26- Over the course of three weeks, Messi replicated two of Maradona’s most iconic goals. In the Copa Del Rey semifinal, he scored a goal that was equivalent to Maradona’s historic Goal of the Century from the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Similar to Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal against Espanyol in a league game, he added another goal.
27- When Messi was just 20 years old, the Spanish media gave him the moniker “Messiah” in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments.
28. After Ronaldinho left in 2008, Messi wore the coveted number 10 jersey.
29- At first, Messi was unable to participate in the 2008 Summer Olympics since they coincided with Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League qualifying matches on the same weekend. He was permitted to play after Pep Guardiola got involved. Argentina eventually won the Olympic gold medal in that year.
30. Due to his injury difficulties, Messi adopted new workout, nutrition, and lifestyle practises. Even a personal physiotherapist was given to him, who would go with him when he was called up to the Argentine national team.
