Even individuals who have no interest in sports are familiar with the name Lionel Messi. Despite being shorter than the majority of his colleagues, he outperforms them with expert technique and a renowned ability to score goals for his side.
Lionel Messi, also known as "Leo," had a desire of playing professional football since he was a little boy. But in light of his physical limits and financial constraints, his desire appeared out of scale. Nobody could have foreseen that the Argentine football player would be playing for his country and FC Barcelona after 17 years and 114 days of nonstop faith and effort.
The "smallest player on the pitch" who was inspired by his family and driven by his enthusiasm, Lionel Messi overcame his limitations to become one of the greatest sportsmen of all time.
Training even from youth
On June 24, 1987, in the pleasant city of Rosario, Argentina, Lionel Andrés Messi was born. He was the third child of a close-knit, diligently working family that was passionate about football.
Young Leo naturally became enamoured with football. As soon as he was able, Leo joined his two older brothers and cousins as they frequently went outside to play. However, since the other guys were considerably older than Leo, they were reluctant to allow him to participate.
His grandma requested they let him play too since she always went with him. She eventually persuaded Leo's mother to get his first pair of cleats after seeing him take his first steps in football.
Leo joined the Grandoli neighbourhood club when he was four years old, where his father served as his coach. Almost every day, his grandma kept tabs on him as he diligently practised to hone his abilities. Leo, who had long admired the Newell Old Boys, a talented Rosario-based team, joined them when he was eight years old.
Soon, football was as essential to him as breathing. In order to prepare for a game, Messi trained every day, foregoing trips with his pals.
A diagnosis of growth incapacity
His cherished grandma passed away when he was ten years old. Her disappearance shook the family, and Messi was much impacted. Although he hadn't touched a football in days, his father encouraged him to continue playing for the team. He came back with the intention of pleasing his granny.
Leo played nonstop throughout the following year. However, his height did not change as he aged. After taking their 11-year-old son to the doctor out of concern, the kid's parents learned that the youngster had a growth hormone shortage. This meant that unless he had specialised therapy, which would last three years and cost $1,500 each month, he would be physically unable to grow.
Messi's father had no choice but to ask the Newell's Old Boys club for financial assistance because he was unable to pay for such an expensive therapy. Since of the child's outstanding potential, the coach agreed to pay for the treatment because he could not ignore it. They gave his humiliated father a modest quantity of money, but that was all they ever gave him.
Leo was seen by Pablo Aimar's Buenos Aires team River Plate while his father kept looking for a method to pay for the therapy. Leo was thrilled by the offer since he passionately adored the man known as the "football genius." However, because Argentina was now experiencing an economic catastrophe, the team was hesitant to pay for Leo's expenditures.
He was undoubtedly devastated, but it didn't take long before another offer, this time from Spain, came in.
Accepting a once in a lifetime opportunity
Carles Rexach, technical director of FC Barcelona, had heard rumours of a 13-year-old youngster who possessed skills like to those of great Argentine player Diego Maradona. He sent a request for a trial so he could see the young Messi's renowned abilities to the Messi family after becoming intrigued. If he survived, the team would pay for his medical expenses, but only if Messi relocated to Spain.
Leo didn't want to leave Rosario behind, but his aspiration to play professional football was too vital.
Leo and his family uprooted their lives and travelled to Barcelona by plane in September 2000.
While Leo introduced himself to the esteemed FC Barcelona Youth team, the family remained at a hotel. After receiving his outfit, he entered the locker room without saying anything to his new comrades. After he had been on the field for two minutes, they were all in awe of how talented he was after initially being in awe of how little he was.
Coach Carles was so thrilled that he wrote Leo a contract on a paper napkin, which was all he had available. With his signature, Leo opened the door to the life he had always imagined.
Advancing in the ranks
At the age of 13, Lionel Messi was quickly moving up the scoring ladder. Leo stood out for his uncatchable goal scoring abilities and fine touch with the ball despite still being extremely quiet and considerably shorter than everyone else on the pitch. He was even given the title of Tournament Player.
His on-field success was the result of a difficult routine. He trained every day and put growth hormones into his legs every night. Leo lived like this up to the age of 14.
He had progressed through the academy to the point where he could join his first team in just over a year and a half.
When his therapy was finally completed, his body started to develop normally again, and he eventually reached the height of 5' 7".
Messi made his professional debut in 2003 at the age of 16 for Barcelona against Porto. His performance astounded his rivals and the technical team. He was repeatedly kicked to the ground, but he got up, dribbled past four opponents, and scored.
His actions were unheard of, in part because they were motivated by gut rather than plan. Leo practised everyday with Ronaldinho after being selected for Barcelona's senior team due to his potential. The Brazilian athlete freely acknowledged that Messi will outperform even him and referred to the quiet teenager as his "little brother."
Breaking records both locally and globally
As the youngest player to represent Barcelona in a formal tournament, Messi made his league debut at age 17. The youth breezed past his opponents, manipulating the ball with an almost dreamlike accuracy, as his coach watched in wonder. For the first time in six years, Barcelona went on to win the UEFA Champions League.
Leo began to see his diminutive size as a benefit on the field, enabling a quickness that quickly earned him the moniker "The Atomic Flea" in Spanish media. However, he had to work harder than ever to build the strength necessary to overcome his older and taller rivals.
He signed his first deal with FC Barcelona as a senior squad member at the age of 18. Soon after, he played for Argentina against Hungary in his first ever international encounter. But after a player took hold of his shirt after two minutes, Leo was sent for using his arm to shrug the player off. He complained bitterly about the foul all the way to the locker room, where his squad subsequently discovered him crying.
The gifted football player continued getting better and smashing his own records as the seasons went on. He had already established himself as a football star at the age of 19. He amassed scores of victories for both FC Barcelona and his country thanks to his skill as a top scorer.
Messi received the coveted FIFA World Player of the Year title at the age of 22.
Even though he suffered from severe ailments all the time, Lionel Messi surpassed the record for most goals scored in a calendar year when he was 24 years old. He would dedicate each goal to his grandma by raising his two fingers to the sky.
Resignation, return, and charitable giving
At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Messi, then 27 years old, enthusiastically represented his own Argentina. With his incredible footwork, inventive assists, and mind-blowing goals, he never ceased to astound the sports world.
He was unable to save Argentina from falling short in the final, as they fell to Germany 1-0. He received the top FIFA award for best player, the Golden Ball, but he was still extremely dissatisfied. As Maradona had done in 1986, Leo fervently desired to return the trophy to Argentina.
He participated in the Copa America Centenario 2016 in June 2016 for Argentina. The squad reached the championship through challenging practise and heated games.
Leo declared his withdrawal from professional football after the defeat for him and his nation broke him. "Don't go, Leo!" was a popular movement that was launched in response to his decision. In an effort to sway him, the mayor of Buenos Aires even unveiled a monument of Lionel Messi. Eventually, Messi made the decision that he wasn't quite ready to put his shirt away and picked up his favourite sport once more.
Lionel Messi fulfilled his boyhood desire with admirable power and determination, despite the fact that he has yet to realise his ambition of winning the world cup.
Leo has been dubbed "Maradona's heir" by the icon himself and has made his team and nation proud in several ways. Off the field, he supports kids organisations like Newell's Old Boys, his former football team, and is a champion for children's rights. He also provides medical care for the less poor.
One of the greatest goal scorers in the world, the youngster who used to be too tiny to play with his relatives has now won three European Golden Shoes and five Golden Balls. However, the modest Leo takes greater pleasure in just knowing that his grandma would be pleased.
"You have to fight to reach your dream, you have to sacrifice and work hard for it".
Lionel messi
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