Lionel Messi

Lionel Andres Messi is an Argentine international footballer currently featuring for the Spanish and European giants FC Barcelona. Messi is frequently considered as the greatest talent to have emerged in the sport of football after Diego Armando Maradona and is one of the best footballers on the player.

Lionel Messi was born in the Argentine city of Rosario and was soon snapped up by Newell's Old Boys. At the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency that impeded him from growing.

Newell's were unable to afford the money required for the treatment of this disease which was about 500 pounds per month. Then FC Barcelona came calling. Not only did they look after Lionel Messi's probems, they also found work for his family in Barcelona and so came Messi to Spain.

Lionel Messi made his official debut for the Blaugrana against Espanyol Barcelona on October 16, 2004. He quickly progressed in the Barcelona first team and won the World Youth Championship with Argentina in 2005 and was adjudged as the best player in the competition.

From 2005-2006 season onwards, the Argentine wonderkid began to exhibit his class and quality. He threaded his way into the starting line-up that consisted of the likes of Ronaldinho, Xavi, Deco and Samuel Eto'o among others and quickly became one of the most popular and most significant members of the club.

He won La Liga title with Barcelona in th 2005-2006 season and was one of the best players in the UEFA Champions League that season. Barca actually won the coveted silverware that season.

Lionel Messi played for Argentina in the 2006 Germany World Cup and in the 2007 Copa America.

Lionel Messi scored one of the best goals of all time agaist Getafe in the first leg of their Copa del Rey tie in the 2006-2007 season. He dribbed around a host of players and scored in almost exactly the same way that El Diego had scored his second goal against England in the semi-finals of the 1986 World Cup.

Messi has consistently impressed with his intricate dribbling, sudden burst of pace, sharp shooting and humility.

Lionel Messi's major personal achievements include:

- Golden Ball: FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005
- Golden Boot: FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005
- Golden Boy: 2005
- World Soccer Young Player of the Year: 2006[43], 2007[44]
- Olimpia de Plata: Argentinian Player of the Year: 2005
- FIFPro World Young Player of the Year: 2006
- FIFPro World XI: 2007
- Best foreign player in La Liga: 2007
- France Football Player of the Year: 3rd place: 2007
- World Soccer Footballer of the Year: 2nd place: 2007[48]
- FIFA World Player of the Year: 2nd place: 2007