Lionel Messi

Argentine Footballer

(Image source : Twitter)

Spouse : Antonela Roccuzzo (M 2017)

Dates Joined : 2023 (Inter Miami CF)

Salary :  5.4 crores USD (2023)

Lionel Andres Messi, well know as Leo Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for a forward for and captain both Major League soccer club Inter Miami and Argentina national team.He is widely regarded as one of greatest player of all-time.Messi won Ballon d’Or award record 8 times, and 6 record times European Golden shoes.In 2020 he was named to the Ballon d’Or Dream team.Messi has spent entire professional career with Barcelona where he won a club-record 34 trophies until leaving the club in 2021, including 10 La Liga titles, 7 copa del Rey titles and the UEFA Champions League 4 times. For his country he won the Copa America 2021 and FIFA world cup 2022.Messi holds the records for most goals in La Liga (474),most hat tricks in La Liga(36) and the UEFA Champions League(8), and most assists in La Liga(192) and the Copa America(17). He also has the most international goals by the south American male(106).Messi has scored over 800 senior career goals for club and country, and has the most goals by a player for a single club(672).

At age 13,Messi relocate to Spain from Argentina for joining Barcelona for whom he made his competitive debut at age 17 in Oct 2004.He established himself as an integral player for club in next 3 years and in 2008-09 he helped Barcelona to achieved the 1st treble in spanish football at Age 22, Messi won his 1st Ballon d’Or. Three successful seasons followed with Messi winning 4 consecutive Ballons d’Or making him the 1st player to win the award four times during the 2011-12 season he set the La Liga and European records for highest goals scored in a single season,while establishing himself as Barcelona’s all time top scorer. In 2015 Massi was awarded a 5th Ballon d’Or.He assumed captaincy of Barcelona in 2018 and won a record 6th Ballon d’Or in 2019.He signed for French club Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021, spent 2 seasons at the club and winning Ligue 1 twice.IN July 2023 Messi joined American club inter Miami and won the League’s cup in August of that year.

At youth level he won the 2005 Youth world championship, finishing the tournament with both the Golden Ball and Golden shoe, and an Olympic gold medal in 2008 summer Olympics. In August 2005, after his senior debut becomes the youngest Argentine to play and score in a FIFA World Cup(2006), and reached final of the Copa America 2007 where he named as young player of the tournament.From August 2011 he led Argentina to 3 consecutive final as a squad’s captain. He won the golden ball for FIFA world cup 2014, copa America 2015,2016 won the golden ball. He announce his international retirement in 2016, he reserve his decision and led his country to qualification for FIFA world cup 2018, a third place finish at the Copa America 2019, and victory in the Copa America 2021 while winning the Golden boot and Golden ball. In same year Messi received 7th Ballon d’Or.In 2022, He led Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA world cup,where he again won a record 2nd Golden Ball, and he scored 7 goals in which 2 in final and with this broken the record for highest games played in World cup (26) and he received record -extended 8th Ballon d’Or in 2023. He was the highest-paid footballer for 5 years in between years 2009 to 2014. and by the Forbes he was highest-paid athlete in 2019 and 2022.In 2011,he was among Time’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2011, 2012 and 2023. In 2020 and 2023 he was named the Laureus world sportsman of the year. He was first team-sport athlete to win the award.He was 2nd footballer and 2nd team-sport athlete to surpass $1 billion in career earnings.