Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina. He currently plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team.
At the age of 10, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone imbalance and nearly gave up on his dream of becoming a soccer player. However, at the age of 13, he passed the FC Barcelona entrance test, where manager Rexach recognized him. The club promised to cover all of his medical expenses, and he moved to Spain.
He made his professional debut with Barcelona in the 2004-05 season. In 2005, he played for Argentina in the World Youth Championship held in the Netherlands, contributing to the team's victory and earning the tournament's top scorer and MVP awards. His performance was recognized, and he made his full national team debut in August of the same year at the age of 18.
The following year, he also played in the World Cup held in Germany, becoming the youngest player to play for Argentina and the youngest player to score a goal. He has also led his club Barcelona to numerous titles, including the domestic league, cups, and the UEFA Champions League, while winning the Ballon d'Or four consecutive years. Last season, he was the top scorer in the league with 46 goals. At the ongoing World Cup in Brazil, he has scored a goal in every game for Argentina, leading the team to victory. In their second match against Iran, he scored the winning goal in added time of the second half, showing his star player side. He has a contract with fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana, and last year released a photo book photographed by designer Domenico Dolce.