Lionel Messi was born in Rosario, Argentina and showed talent at a young age, though he had a hormone deficiency that required expensive treatment. Barcelona agreed to pay for his treatment, allowing him to move to their youth academy. He worked his way up through the Barcelona system despite his small stature. He made his professional debut for Barcelona in 2004 and quickly became an integral part of the team, winning trophies and individual accolades while cementing his place as one of the best players in the world.