Lionel Messi
Date of birth: June 24, 1987
Place of birth: Rosario, Argentina
Nationality: Argentine
Main activity: Professional footballer
Short bio:
Born in Rosario, Argentina, in 1987, Lionel Messi is widely considered one of the greatest football players of all time. He relocated to Spain at age 13 to join Barcelona's academy, where he made his competitive debut at 17. Messi quickly established himself as an integral player, leading Barcelona to numerous titles. After a long and highly successful career with Barcelona, he moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and then to Inter Miami in 2023. He has won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards and is the most decorated player in professional football with 45 team trophies.
Career:
Lionel Messi's professional football career began with Barcelona, where he joined the youth ranks and made his first-team debut in 2004. He became the club's all-time top scorer, winning ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Reys, and four UEFA Champions Leagues, among other accolades. In August 2021, he signed with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and then moved to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2023. On the international stage, Messi has been a standout player for Argentina, leading them to victory in the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He is Argentina's all-time leading goal scorer and most-capped player.
Children:
Lionel Messi has three sons with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo:
- Thiago (born November 2, 2012)
- Mateo (born September 11, 2015)
- Ciro (born March 10, 2018)
Family:
Lionel Messi grew up in a close-knit family. His parents are Jorge Messi (father) and Celia Cuccittini (mother). He has three siblings: brothers Rodrigo and Matías, and sister María Sol. Both Rodrigo and Matías have helped manage his career, while María Sol has a leadership role at The Messi Store.
Dating history:
- Macarena Lemos (rumored, 2006)
- Antonela Roccuzzo (started dating in 2007, married in 2017)
- Luciana Salazar (rumored, 2008, during a brief breakup with Antonela Roccuzzo)
Awards (2020 to date):
- Ballon d'Or (2021, 2023)
- The Best FIFA Men's Player (2022, 2023)
- World Cup winner (2022)
- Copa América winner (2021, 2024)
- CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions winner (2022)
- French champion (with Paris Saint-Germain: 2021/22, 2022/23)
- French Super Cup winner (with Paris Saint-Germain: 2022/23)
- Leagues Cup Winner (with Inter Miami: 2023)
- Supporters' Shield Winner (with Inter Miami: 2023/24)
- Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (2020, 2023)
- Time's Athlete of the Year (2023)
