Lionel Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for Barcelona and the Argentine national team. He is considered one of the best players of his generation, with a playing style that draws comparisons to Diego Maradona. Messi was born in Rosario, Argentina and came from a working class family. After winning trophies with Barcelona, Messi signed a new contract in 2009 that made him one of the highest paid players in La Liga. Messi has also had a successful international career with Argentina since debuting for their under-20 team in 2004.