Lionel Messi was born in Rosario, Argentina to a working-class family and began playing soccer from a young age, showing early talent despite being diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at age 11. Over his 10-year career with Barcelona, Messi has won numerous club titles and individual awards, holding numerous goalscoring records including most goals in a calendar year and most Champions League top scorer titles. He is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time.

1. THE GOD OF FOOTBALL

2.  Lionel Messi was born, 24 June 1987, in Rosario, Argentina to a
working-class family. His father was a factory steel worker, and his
mother a cleaner. He began playing from an early age, and his
talent was soon apparent. However, at the age of 11, Messi was
diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD).

3.  In his 10 years(and counting) for Barcelona, Messi has amassed six La Ligas, two Copas del Rey, five
Supercopas de España, three UEFA Champions Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups and two Club World
Cups.
 He holds the Guinness World Records title for the most goals in a year: 91 goals in 2012
 Most international goals in a year (club and national team): 25 goals
 He holds the record for the most consecutive league matches scored in: 21 matches (33 goals)
 Messi is the first footballer ever to score consecutively against all teams in a professional league
 Messi is the first and only player to top-score in four consecutive Champions League campaigns.
 He also has the maximum number of hat tricks in the competition
 In March 2012, Messi made Champions League history by becoming the first player to score five
goals in one match.
 The Argentina international holds the record for most La Liga hat-tricks in one season with eight.
 Messi holds with Batistuta the record for Most Goals Scored for Argentina in One Year – 12.
 March 2014, with a hat-trick against Real Madrid, Messi became the player with most goals and
most hat-tricks in the history of El Clásico.
 In the La Liga, he has the record for the most goals scored for a single club -354.
 He has the record for the most goals scored in La Liga in a season: 50 goals
 He holds the record for the most La Liga hat-tricks in a season: 8 hat-tricks