Early Life and Club Career
On June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, Lionel Messi was born. He was the third child of Jorge Messi, a steel factory manager, and Celia Cuccittini, who worked in a magnet factory. Lionel Messi grew up in a loving family that cherished football. He played with his brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, and his cousins, Maximiliano and Emanuel, who also became professional players. At the age of four, he joined Grandoli, a local club where his father coached. His grandmother, Celia, greatly influenced his early life, supporting him during training and matches. After her passing before his eleventh birthday, Lionel Messi dedicated his goals to her memory.
Lionel Messi was a lifelong supporter of Newell’s Old Boys and joined the club at age six. During his six years there, he scored nearly 500 goals as part of the “87 Machine,” an almost unbeatable youth team. He entertained fans at the first team’s halftime shows. His idol was Brazilian forward Ronaldo, whom he admired as the best player.
At ten, Lionel Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, threatening his football dreams. Newell’s agreed to pay for his treatment, but later withdrew support. River Plate, a club he admired, showed interest, but Messi did not sign. Despite concerns about his health, Messi eventually started treatment at 14. After this, he joined Barcelona‘s youth team, known as “La Masia.”
In the 2002-03 season, he became a star, scoring 36 goals in 30 matches. Lionel Messi quickly rose through the ranks at Barcelona, debuting for the first team on November 16, 2003, at just 16 years old. He impressed everyone with his skills and began training with the senior team.
To gain more experience, Lionel Messi played for Barcelona C, scoring five goals in ten matches, helping the team avoid relegation. He signed his first professional contract on February 4, 2004, and continued to work hard to improve his physical strength. By the end of the season, he had scored 36 goals across all teams he played for, marking the beginning of his remarkable career.
Barcelona Career (2000–2021)
Among the world’s top players is Lionel Messi. He spent many successful years at Barcelona. His journey began in 2004 and changed the face of football forever.
2004–2008: Rise to the First Team
Lionel Messi made his first appearance for Barcelona on October 16, 2004, in a match against Espanyol. He was just 17 years old. Messi scored his first goal on May 1, 2005, against Albacete, with help from Ronaldinho. This made him the youngest scorer in the club’s history. Barcelona took home the league championship that year.
In the 2006-07 season, Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick against Real Madrid in a famous match. He also made headlines with a beautiful goal against Getafe. This goal reminded fans of Diego Maradona‘s famous goals in the 1986 World Cup. People began to see Lionel Messi as a legend in the making.
2008–2012: Success Under Pep Guardiola
In 2008, Lionel Messi started wearing the iconic number 10 shirt. Under coach Pep Guardiola, he became a key player in the team’s strategy. During the 2008-09 season, Lionel Messi scored 38 goals. Together with Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry, he helped Barcelona score 100 goals, a club record.
Barcelona had a fantastic year. They won the Copa del Rey, La Liga, and the Champions League, achieving the first treble in Spanish football history. In 2009-10, Barcelona won even more trophies, including the Supercopa de España and the FIFA Club World Cup. Lionel Messi became the top scorer in the Champions League and won his first Ballon d’Or.
In the following years, Lionel Messi continued to shine. He helped Barcelona win multiple titles, including the Supercopa de España, the Champions League, and La Liga. In 2012, he scored 91 goals in all competitions, setting a world record. That year, he won his fourth Ballon d’Or, making history.
2014–2017: Arrival of Luis Enrique
In the 2014-15 season, coach Luis Enrique joined Barcelona. He brought Luis Suárez to the club. Together with Neymar, they formed the famous attacking trio known as MSN. This team scored goals at an incredible rate. In the 2015 season, Lionel Messi helped Barcelona win the treble again, scoring 58 goals.
In 2016, Lionel Messi won his fifth Ballon d’Or. He continued to lead the team, helping Barcelona win the Spanish Supercup and the Copa del Rey. In the 2016-17 season, Lionel Messi finished with 54 goals, winning more trophies for the club.
2017–2021: Final Years at Barcelona
In the 2017-18 season, Lionel Messi helped Barcelona win another La Liga title. He became the team’s captain after Andrés Iniesta left. That year, he scored 36 goals, winning his sixth Pichichi Trophy.
However, the 2019-20 season was difficult for Barcelona. They did not win any trophies for the first time since 2007-08. Lionel Messi expressed his desire to leave the club but ultimately decided to stay for one more season. In 2020-21, he made his 768th appearance for Barcelona, breaking the club record.
After the season, Lionel Messi became a free agent. Due to financial issues, Barcelona could not renew his contract. On August 8, 2021, Lionel Messi tearfully confirmed that he would leave the club.
Why Lionel Messi left Barcelona？
Most people believed that Lionel Messi would spend his entire career at Barcelona. However, in the summer of 2021, he surprised everyone by transferring to Paris Saint-Germain. This move shocked the football world, especially since Lionel Messi was one of the best players in history and the star of the club.
Why did he leave?
The main reason was that Barcelona could not afford to give Lionel Messi a new contract. In 2021, he became a free agent, and many thought he would sign again with the club. But financial issues changed everything. Due to the pandemic, Barcelona’s income fell sharply. The club also had high salaries for many players, making it difficult to pay Lionel Messi.
By the summer transfer window of 2021, Barcelona needed to cut salaries significantly. Even if Lionel Messi agreed to reduce his salary by half, the club still could not make it work. Paris Saint-Germain took advantage of the situation.
Interestingly, Lionel Messi had wanted to leave Barcelona earlier, in 2020. He was unhappy with the club’s management and almost signed with Manchester City. He even sent a fax to inform Barcelona, but the board denied his request. Lionel Messi chose to stay because he did not want to sue the club he loved.
When a new president, Joan Laporta, took over, he promised to bring Lionel Messi back to life at Barcelona. However, when Laporta looked at the club’s finances, he saw it was worse than expected. Barcelona needed to borrow money just to meet salary demands. They faced massive losses, which made registering Messi’s new contract impossible.
La Liga’s financial rules limited how much clubs could spend. Barcelona’s spending cap dropped significantly, making it hard to afford Lionel Messi, even with a reduced salary. They could only use a fraction of their savings due to the 1/4 rule.
At one point, there was a chance for a solution. La Liga’s president suggested that if Barcelona accepted a deal with CVC, they could have more salary space. This deal would give the club significant funds in exchange for a share of their future TV rights. However, Laporta believed this deal would mortgage the club’s future, so he refused.
Lionel Messi could not lower his salary further or play for free because La Liga rules prohibited such actions. This situation led to Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona, a decision that left many fans heartbroken.
Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami CF (2021–present)
On August 10, 2021, Lionel Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) after leaving Barcelona. He reunited with his friend Neymar for the 2021-22 season. Lionel Messi signed a two-year contract, which could extend for one more year. He chose the number 30, the same number he wore when he debuted for Barcelona.
Lionel Messi made his first appearance for PSG against Reims and later played his first Champions League match against Brugge. He scored his first goal for the club against Lyon and netted his debut Champions League goal against Manchester City. Throughout the year, Lionel Messi scored 40 goals in total for both club and country. He helped Argentina win the Copa América and received his record seventh Ballon d’Or award.
In the 2022-23 season, Lionel Messi continued to shine. He scored against Nice, making him the all-time leading scorer in European club football, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo with 702 goals. By the end of the season, he contributed 21 goals and 16 assists, leading PSG to their 11th Ligue 1 title. After the last match, coach Christophe Galtier confirmed that Messi would leave PSG, which the club announced two days later.
On July 15, 2023, Inter Miami CF announced that Lionel Messi had signed a two-and-a-half-year contract. He debuted for the club in a League Cup match against Cruz Azul, scoring a free kick in stoppage time to secure a win. In his first six matches with Miami, he scored nine goals, helping the team win its first trophy in history. Messi faced the New York Red Bulls in his MLS debut. However, Miami did not qualify for the playoffs, finishing 14th in the Eastern Conference.
On October 30, 2023, Lionel Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or after leading Argentina to a World Cup title and PSG to another Ligue 1 championship. He was also named Time magazine’s Athlete of the Year, becoming the first football player to receive this honor.
In the 2024 season, Lionel Messi broke the MLS record for most assists in a single match with five. He also scored six goals in a game against the New York Red Bulls, setting a new MLS record for most goal contributions in a single match.
Latest News
Return to Newell’s Old Boys？
Lionel Messi is set to finish his time with Inter Miami CF, and his next move is confirmed. Since joining the club in the summer of 2023, he has transformed their fortunes. Under his influence, Inter Miami won their first trophy and currently leads the MLS standings by eight points, making them strong contenders for the league cup.
Lionel Messi‘s impact is clear, but it seems he will only stay for one more season. Reports suggest that the 37-year-old plans to return to his home country, Argentina, as his contract with Inter Miami ends in December 2025. According to El Nacional, Lionel Messi is excited about returning to his first club, Newell’s Old Boys.
He left Newell’s at 13 to join Barcelona, and he feels that returning there is the best way to end his remarkable career. Lionel Messi has expressed his desire to go back, showing his deep connection to the club. In a 2016 interview, he said, “If I return to Argentina tomorrow, I would be very happy, and the club I want to play for is Newell’s.”
As Lionel Messi continues to make headlines, fans eagerly await his next move in the world of football.
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