Leonel Messi

Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini (Rosario, June 24, 1987), known as Leo Messi, argentino12 13 is a footballer who plays as a striker for FC Barcelona and the Argentina team, of which he is captain. Often considered the best player in the world and qualified in sport as the greatest of all time, 14 15 16 17 18 19 Messi is the only player in history who has won five times the FIFA Golden Ball four of them consecutively manner and the first receiving three Golden Boots. with Barcelona has won eight La Liga titles and four of the UEFA Champions League and three titles in the Copa del Rey. prolific scorer, holds the records for most goals in the history of La Liga (312) in one season of La Liga (50) in a calendar year (91) in a match of the Champions League (five) and more seasons of the Champions League (five).
Born and raised in the city of Rosario, at age 13 he moved to Spain, where Barcelona agreed to pay the treatment of hormonal disease that was diagnosed as a child. After a rapid progression through the youth academy of Barcelona, ​​he made his racing debut at age 17 in October 2004. Despite being prone to injuries early in his career, in the three subsequent years was established as a key player for the club and in 2007, was shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World player of the year the year, achievement he repeated in 2008. His first uninterrupted campaign was the 2008-09 season, during which he helped Barcelona to reach the first hat trick of Spanish football. At 22, he won the Ballon d'Or and World Player Award FIFA year by record margins votación.20 21 22 23 24
They followed three successful seasons, in which Messi won three FIFA Golden Ball, and a fourth, a fact that was unprecedented. So far, his best personal campaign is the 2011-12 season, in which he set the record for most goals in a season both in La Liga and in other European competitions, and became, in March 2012, the top scorer history of your club in official competitions. During the next two seasons, also he suffered injuries and lost the Golden Ball against Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he considered his rival. Messi regained his best form during the 2014-15 campaign, during which he surpassed all records top scorer in La Liga and the Champions League in November 2014 and led Barcelona to a historic second treble.
As Argentine international Messi has represented his country in six major tournaments. A youth level, won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, a tournament in which he finished as the best player and top scorer, and a gold medal at the Olympic Games 2008. For their playing style small lefty dribbler, it compared with compatriot Diego Maradona, who in 2007 told the teenager his "successor" 25 26 27. After his debut in the senior team in August 2005, in the 2006 World Cup he became the youngest Argentine to play and score in a mundial28 and reached the final of the 2007 Copa America, where he was named best young player tournament. As captain since August 2011.29 led Argentina to the final of the 2014 Brazil World Cup and the Copa America 2015, events in which he was selected best player of the tournament.

Biografía

Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987 in the city of Rosario, in the province of Santa Fe. He is the son of Jorge Horacio Messi, a factory worker, and Celia María Cuccittini, a cleaning medium time.30 31 32 Your paternal family is from Recanati: his great-grandfather, Angelo Messi, moved to Argentina in 1883.33 34 her maternal grandmother, who encouraged him to devote himself to football and Messi who thank after a field goal, was called Celia Olivera of Cuccittini (26/5 /1930-8/5/1998).35 has two brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, and a sister, Mary Sol.36 Two of his cousins ​​(Maximiliano and Emanuel Biancucchi) are also players. Messi has a relationship with Antonella Roccuzzo, 37 also rosarina, 38 whom he has known since childhood. The couple has two children: Thiago, born on November 2, 2012, and Matthew, who was born on September 11, 2015.39
With just five years, Messi took his first steps in Grandoli, a neighborhood club south of Rosario, a few blocks from his home. The club was run by his padre.40 later played a few games with the Central Córdoba.41 In 1995, he began training in the lower divisions of Newell's Old Boys, 40 club with which he won the Friendship Cup in Peru in 1997. At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a deficiency of the hormone crecimiento.42
In August 2000 Messi, 12, went to Buenos Aires to prove to River Plate, and was accepted by the recruiter who asked Vairo recruitment, but this never materialized. The why not continue in the institution was not clarified, versions ranging from that River and parents of Messi not reached an agreement for the cost of hormone treatment to others that indicate that parents did not want to be left alone Messi in the pension in Buenos Aires and required that they be given a house and a trabajo.43 44 45
Carles Rexach, 46 FC Barcelona coach, noticed the talent of Messi and as had relatives in Lleida, could travel to Spain with his padre.32 Barcelona signed him after watching him play, 47 and offered to pay for expensive treatments if she moved to España.40 the family moved to Barcelona where Messi began playing in teams juveniles.47 at the age of 13, Messi started playing in the youth ranks of FC Barcelona, ​​where he was teammate , among others, Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique. One of his first technical was Tito Vilanova, who years later became the first coach in equipo.48
In 2007, Messi established the Leo Messi Foundation, 49 which aims to help children and adolescents at risk, especially in the areas of education and salud.50 Through the foundation, playgrounds have been built, 51 I refurbished or rehabilitated 52 benéficas53 54 organizations and sports centers, 55 56 among other things. Moreover, Messi usually involved in charity acts as friendly matches or actions fundraising, 57 58 awareness campaigns, 59 donations, 60 61 62 63 64 visits or solidarity meetings, for 65 66 67 68 69 both his own foundation as for the FC Foundation Barcelona70 and Unicef. With the Foundation F.C. Barcelona reached an alliance to work in conjunto.71 72 March 11, 2010, he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of Unicef.73 74
In 2013, the Spanish prosecutor accused Messi and his father for possible tax fraud valued at 4.1 million euros. For this reason, both were called to testify before the fiscalía.75 On May 4, 2014, Messi was informed he would pay more than 35 million euros to overcome the current judicial inspection of their cuentas.76 On July 28 following the request of the prosecution to file the complaint for three fiscal offenses he was rejected by the investigating judge.

Categorías Inferiores

Newell's Old Boys

Según la Asociación Rosarina de Fútbol, Messi jugó en los juveniles de Newell's hasta los 12 años cuando se lo llevó el Barcelona. Fue fichado el 30 de marzo de 1994 en la Asociación Rosarina y debutó ante Pablo VI el 9 de abril, en un encuentro que Newell's ganó 6 a 0, con cuatro tantos suyos.⁷⁹

Año	Partidos	Goles	Promedio
1994	29	40	1.38
1995	30	36	1.2
1996	27	36	1.33
1997	36	40	1.11
1998	25	27	1.08
1999	29	55	1.9
Total	176	234	1.33