On June 30, 2017, Messi married Antonella Roccuzzo, his longtime girlfriend and the cousin of his best friend and fellow soccer player Lucas Scaglia. Cristiano Ronaldo is a professional soccer player who has set records while playing for the Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus clubs, as well as the Portuguese national team. So, at the age of 13, when Messi was offered the chance to train at soccer powerhouse FC Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, and have his medical bills covered by the team, Messi's family picked up and moved across the Atlantic to make a new home in Spain. Main position : Last update : Messi not surprised: Suárez deserved better after being “kicked out” of Barça, Ranking of the highest-paid footballers - €83m difference between 1st and 10th spot, Most titles in the 21st century: Ashour ahead of Ibrahimovic - No English player in top 50. © 2020 DPG Media Digital B.V. | NU.nl onderdeel van DPG Media Magazines groep, Sleep hier je bestanden heen He scored 41 goals across all competitions for Barcelona in 2015–16, and the club won the La Liga title and the Copa del Rey during that season. SunSport have pulled together as much information as possible about Messi's earnings in Spain too see if City can match it. Je gebruikt een adblocker. Messi also rakes in around £24million each year from endorsements and sponsorship deals. In early 2010, UNICEF named him a goodwill ambassador, with a focus on fighting for children's rights across the globe. and he earns $667,000 per week, for over $80 million annually. Rosario, Position: Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. Date of birth/Age: Manchester City are ready to go all out for the 33-year-old this summer - and believe they can afford him. Arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo is in fourth with a yearly wage of £80million. In 2014 he set the overall Barcelona goal record when he scored his 370th goal as a member of the team. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Though only 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 metres) tall and weighing 148 pounds (67 kg), he was strong, well-balanced, and versatile on the field. In 2019 he was a member of Argentina’s third-place team at the Copa América. In 2014 Messi led Argentina to the World Cup final for the first time in 24 years. He scored 21 goals in 14 games for the junior team, and he quickly graduated through the higher-level teams until at age 16 he was given his informal debut with FC Barcelona in a friendly match. Messi steered Barcelona to a wealth of success, most notably in 2009, when the left-footer's team captured the Champions League, La Liga, and Spanish Super Cup titles. of selecteer een foto/video, Door te versturen ga je akkoord met onze voorwaarden. At the 2014 World Cup, Messi put on a dazzling display, scoring four goals and almost single-handedly propelling an offense-deficient Argentina team through the group stage and into the knockout rounds, where Argentina then advanced to the World Cup final for the first time in 24 years. The Argentine's net worth is believed to be close to £309m ($400m). Naturally left-footed, quick, and precise in control of the ball, Messi is known as a keen pass distributor and can readily thread his way through packed defenses. Lionel Messi, 33, from Argentina FC Barcelona, since 2005 Right Winger Market value: €112.00m * Jun 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina In 2017–18 he scored 45 goals, and Barcelona won the La Liga–Copa del Rey double once again. 167m Followers, 232 Following, 623 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Leo Messi (@leomessi) The soccer great came back to earth somewhat that year due to the persistence of hamstring injuries, but he regained his record-breaking form by becoming the all-time leading scorer in La Liga and Champions League play in late 2014. He has spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he has won a club-record 33 trophies, including ten La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles and six That same year, after two consecutive runner-up finishes, he took home his first FIFA "World Player of the Year" honor/Ballon d'Or award. Messi led Barcelona to La Liga and Champions League titles the following season, which helped him capture an unprecedented third consecutive world player of the year award. Lionel Merci's trademark after a nine-year legal battle Footballer Lionel Messi can register his name as a trademark after a nine-year legal battle, the EU's top court has ruled. In 2017, Messi signed a new contract with FC Barcelona through the 2020-21 season, when he'll be 34 years old. Betrouwbaar, gratis en snel op NU.nl, de grootste nieuwssite van Nederland. Philippe … Soccer player Ronaldo starred for the Brazilian national team and several European clubs over the course of a career that spanned nearly two decades. There he earned renown as one of the greatest players in history, helping his club win more than two dozen league titles and tournaments. Although he was often homesick in his new country, Messi moved quickly through the junior system ranks. Often considered the best player in the world and widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Messi has won a record six Ballon d'Or awards, and a record six European Golden Shoes. Fittingly, he broke another record when he was named the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner for the fourth time in January 2013. Nieuws en video's over Lionel Messi. Messi's parents, Jorge and Ceclia, decided on a regimen of nightly growth-hormone injections for their son, though it soon proved impossible to pay several hundred dollars per month for the medication. This is reportedly worth £9million-per-year to the six-time Ballon d'Or winner. In December 2019 he won his sixth career Ballon d’Or. Messi embarked on an all-out assault on the record books in 2012. Messi has seen his wealth rocket since he became the highest-paid La Lig player in 2017. The following year, after Messi heavily criticized the referees in the wake of a 2-0 loss to Brazil in the Copa America semifinals, the Argentine captain was slapped with a three-game ban by the South American Football Confederation. Forbes claim the 33-year-old earns a salary of £54m at the Nou Camp. Lionel Messi Childhood & Early Life. Messi is also sponsored by Gatorade, Huawei, Mastercard and Pepsi. In July of that year, Messi and his father were each given suspended 21-month prison sentences (first-time offenders in Spain are given suspended sentences if the duration is under two years) and were fined €2 million and €1.5 million, respectively. Four years later, following another La Liga title, Messi again established a new standard for excellence by claiming his sixth Ballon d'Or. Before signing the deal, he was believed to earn round £336,000-per-week. Messi's buyout clause was set at $835 million (€700 million). After helping Barcelona achieve a historic second treble in 2015, he was honored with his fifth FIFA Ballon d'Or trophy. He is the author of. Despite subsequently paying €5 million to the Spanish state, the pair were nevertheless ordered to stand trial on the charges in 2016. Messi scored 51 goals across all domestic competitions in 2018–19 as Barcelona won another La Liga championship. Lionel Messi, Argentine-born football (soccer) player who is one of the greatest goal-scorers in the sport’s history. Ahora pueden descubrir el último reto de @PepsiFootball en el enlace que hay en su bio y luego compartir el mejor resultado con el hashtag #ForTheLoveOfIt _______ Hope you guys are staying well and at home. This means he could see his bank balance rise by around £78m PER year. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Lionel Messi - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Relatives, Current international: Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Philippe Coutinho signals transfer intent as Barcelona statement made to Ronald Koeman. MONEY is not the motive behind Lionel Messi's decision to quit Barcelona. Soccer player Carli Lloyd scored the winning goals for the U.S. in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and was named the top player of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. Lionel Andrés Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains both La Liga club Barcelona and the Argentina national team. Lionel Messi, in full Lionel Andrés Messi, also called Leo Messi, (born June 24, 1987, Rosario, Argentina), Argentine-born football (soccer) player who was named Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) world player of the year five times (2009–12 and 2015). We had a great day! Domestically, he starred for Spain’s FC Barcelona, leading the club to numerous championships. By the age of 16, Messi made his first appearance for the FC Barcelona, putting himself in the record books on May 1, 2005, as the youngest player to ever score a goal for the franchise. Post your high score with #ForTheLoveOfIt, A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) on Apr 3, 2020 at 8:39am PDT, City star Ruben Dias' stunning girlfriend April Ivy is a pop star with a No1 hit, Lazio want Man Utd's Pereira and Mata after David Silva move collapses, Aouar '£45.5m new offer', Partey on bench in Atletico victory, Jorginho LATEST, Watch Ronaldo 'leap like prime Jordan' with amazing record-breaking header, Man Utd transfer news LIVE: Follow all the latest news from Old Trafford, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Lionel Messi is an Argentine-born football (soccer) player who was named Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) world player of the year five times (2009–12 and 2015). In March 2012 he netted his 233rd goal for Barcelona, becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer in La Liga play when only 24 years old. Every single playable Icon in FIFA 21 Ultimate Team has today been confirmed, with 100 legendary players featuring in FUT 21 including new Icons Samuel Eto' and Xavi. During the 2016 Copa América Centenario tournament, he netted his 55th international goal to break Gabriel Batistuta’s Argentine scoring record. He played on Argentina’s victorious 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship squad, represented the country in the 2006 World Cup, and scored two goals in five matches as Argentina swept to the gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Luis Lionel Andres (“Leo”) Messi is an Argentinian soccer player who plays forward for the FC Barcelona club and the Argentina national team. Lionel Andres Messi Cuccittini was given birth to on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, to a steel factory manager, Jorge Messi and his wife Celia Cuccittini. Their marriage, a civil ceremony dubbed by Argentina's Clarín newspaper as the “wedding of the century,” was held at a luxury hotel in Rosario, with a number of fellow star soccer players and Colombian pop star Shakira on the 260-person guest list. In addition to earning a football salary that was frequently, with Ronaldo’s, one of the two largest athletes’ salaries in all professional sports, he was an extremely successful product pitchman, notably for the sportswear company Adidas. His landmark season led to his being named the 2012 world player of the year, which made Messi the first player to win the honour four times. For using this site, please activate JavaScript. Messi started playing football as a boy and was noticed by clubs on both sides of the Atlantic. Despite his dual citizenship and professional success in Spain, Messi’s ties with his homeland remained strong, and he was a key member of various Argentine national teams from 2005. A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) on Jul 24, 2020 at 11:29am PDT. Recognizably smaller than most of the kids in his age group, Messi was eventually diagnosed by doctors as suffering from a hormone deficiency that restricted his growth. Widely regarded as the greatest player in history, the unassuming Argentina forward has become a Barcelona legend winning a succession of La Liga and Champions League titles while breaking goal-scoring records practically every season. He agreed to new terms as he committed himself to the Catalan club until 2012. Je moet ingelogd zijn om van deze mogelijkheid gebruik te maken. Argentina lost to Germany, but Messi won the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player. For all his success with Barcelona, Messi has come under fire for his inability to help Argentina's national team win a major title. Amazingly, the soccer wizard continued to improve, discovering new ways to elude defenders while leading Barcelona to La Liga and Spanish Super Cup championships in 2010 and 2011, as well as the '11 Champions League title. However, they were both sentenced to 21 months in prison. The 33-year-old has a lifelong sponsorship deal with Adidas. In 2016, following Argentina's second consecutive loss to Chile in the final of the Copa America tournament, Messi announced he was ending his run with the national team. Almost universally regarded as the best soccer player in the game, Messi has additionally become the commercial face of soccer with endorsements from Adidas, Pepsi, EA Sports and Turkish Airways, among other companies. 30.06.2021, Agent: That same year he also broke the career scoring records for play in both the Champions League (with 72 goals) and La Liga (with 253 goals). donderdag 17 september om 11:39 - Economie, vrijdag 14 augustus om 23:06 - Champions League, Meer informatie over browser ondersteuning. Surprisingly, he is not the richest footballer on the list. One of soccer's all-time greats, Zinedine Zidane led France to victory at the 1998 World Cup, but was thrown out of the '06 Cup final for striking an opponent. As of August 2019, Messi's all-time highlights for FC Barcelona: Messi has won FIFA's Player of the Year six times. Lionel Messi is a soccer player with FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He also plays for the Argentina national team. Lionel Messi, laatste nieuws & geruchten, spelersprofiel, gedetailleerde statisieken, carrière-details en transferinformatie voor de Barcelona speler, aangeboden door Goal.com. He was named the FIFA world player of the year on five occasions. Lionel Messi at a Barcelona soccer match, April 2017. Ultimately, Messi's short stature (5 feet, 7 inches), combined with his speed and relentless attacking style, has drawn comparisons to another famous Argentinian footballer, Diego Maradona. Soccer superstar Ronaldinho was a member of Brazil's 2002 World Cup championship team and twice won the FIFA World Player of the Year award. /// Thanks to our friends at @hotelmimibiza for the warm welcome. For other inquiries, Contact Us. As a young boy, Messi tagged along when his two older brothers played soccer with their friends, unintimidated by the bigger boys. Messi started playing football as a boy and in 1995 joined the youth team of Newell’s Old Boys (a Rosario-based top-division football club). He earned the Golden Shoe award as Europe’s leading scorer, and he was named the 2010 world player of the year (the award was renamed the FIFA Ballon d’Or that year). In 2013 Messi and his father (who handled his son’s finances) were charged with tax fraud and accused of using overseas shell companies to avoid paying €4.2 million in Spanish taxes on endorsement earnings. Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Lionel Messi lives a life of luxury with wife Antonela Roccuzzo, Lionel Messi is arguably the best football player on the planet, Lionel Messi pictured an Adidas event in China, Watch as furious Barcelona fans break into Nou Camp in support of Lionel Messi and demand president Bartomeu resign, has handed in his transfer request to leave the club, ready to go all out for the 33-year-old this summer, MESSI TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: Breaking news on stunning exit from Barcelona. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Jack Rollin is a writer and freelance journalist. The Nou Camp icon has handed in his transfer request to leave the club for free. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. According to Forbes, Messi is the fifth highest-paid celebrity in the world. He has established records for goals scored and won individual awards en route to worldwide recognition as one of the best players in soccer. In the 2004–05 season Messi, then 17, became the youngest official player and goal scorer in the Spanish La Liga (the country’s highest division of football). Soccer player Alex Morgan has starred for the U.S. national teams that won Olympic gold and the FIFA Women's World Cup. View our online Press Pack. Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers, Luis Suarez shows Barcelona what they're missing after Lionel Messi comments, Uruguay international Luis Suarez left Barcelona earlier this week to join the Catalans' La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid, and he immediately showed his old side what they're missing out on, Tottenham vs Newcastle: Best bets for all Sunday's Premier League games PLUS Barcelona in La Liga, Our betting expert with tips for Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, West Ham at home to Wolves, the Yorkshire derby between Leeds and Sheffield United and Man City-Leicester, Ronald Koeman rejects "villain" tag over Lionel Messi's Barcelona dig as blame shifted, Luis Suarez's transfer from Barcelona to Atletico Madrid led to Messi hitting out at the club on social media, with several well-known Barca figures rushing to agree with him, Rivaldo becomes latest Barcelona legend to slam club over Luis Suarez treatment, The Catalan giants allowed 33-year-old Suarez to join La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid earlier this week, after the Uruguayan's six trophy-laden years at Camp Nou, Arsenal transfer round-up: Philippe Coutinho links re-emerge and Houssem Aouar latest, The Gunners cooled their interest in Coutinho earlier in the window, but recent reports claim the Barcelona playmaker has resurfaced as a target alongside Lyon star Aouar, Barcelona legends fume as Luis Suarez joins Atletico Madrid after being "thrown out", The Uruguayan forward completed his move to Atletico Madrid on Friday, leaving four Barca icons fuming at the way he was treated by the club, Neymar responds after Lionel Messi blasts Barcelona board for treatment of Luis Suarez, Suarez's departure from Camp Nou was confirmed on Wednesday and former teammate Neymar has made known his thoughts about the club's treatment of the iconic striker, Lionel Messi slams Barcelona for "kicking out" Luis Suarez in emotional farewell letter, The Argentinean superstar is clearly not best pleased with the way his friend has departed the club and has hit out at them on Instagram, Liverpool Nou Camp moment which began Lionel Messi's Barcelona 'disenchantment', The Catalan giants were humiliated 4-0 in their Champions League semi-final second leg v the Reds in 2019 but Messi's frustrations had already begun, Luis Suarez lifts lid on Lionel Messi's reaction to his Barcelona exit, The Uruguayan forward has left the Nou Camp after six highly successful seasons to join their La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid, Luis Suarez in tears as he sends farewell message to Barcelona supporters, The Uruguayan striker has written himself into the history books at the Camp Nou, with 198 goals for the club, but has been dumped this summer and is heading to join La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid, Atletico Madrid agree deal to sign Luis Suarez from Barcelona in bargain transfer, Former Liverpool striker Suarez is on the verge of completing a £5.5m switch to Barcelona's La Liga rivals, ending weeks of speculation over his future, Luis Suarez in tears as he makes final Barcelona exit ahead of Atletico Madrid transfer, The Uruguayan forward has bid farewell to the club where he has spent a hugely successful six seasons and will soon put pen to paper on a deal to join Atletico, Javier Mascherano opens up on chat with Lionel Messi after he handed in transfer request, Lionel Messi turned the footballing world upside down when he expressed a desire to leave Barcelona – and former team-mate Javier Mascherano felt he needed to get in touch, Sergi Roberto gives insight on Barcelona stars' reaction to Lionel Messi wanting to leave, Lionel Messi left the footballing world in shock with his desire to leave Barcelona last month after the club’s humiliating Champions League defeat – and that included his team-mates, Lionel Messi's former agent says he was "tempted" by Arsenal transfer, Under Arsene Wenger Arsenal were linked with a host of young players that have eventually turned into greats, Jamie Carragher names third best player in world behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Right Winger, Contract expires: In early 2009 Messi capped off a spectacular 2008–09 season by helping FC Barcelona capture the club’s first “treble” (winning three major European club titles in one season): the team won the La Liga championship, the Copa del Rey (Spain’s major domestic cup), and the Champions League title. The European Court of Justice dismissed an appeal from Spanish cycling company Massi and … At the 2018 World Cup, he helped an overmatched Argentine side reach the knockout stage, where they were eliminated by eventual champion France in their first match. Barcelona's talisman has also been part of campaigns for Gillette and Turkish Airlines. As a result of his hard work, Messi owns a stunning £5.5million mansion and a £26m hotel. He played for FC Barcelona’s under-14 team, quickly graduating through the higher-level teams until his informal debut at age 16 with FC Barcelona in a friendly match. We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Deseo que estén todos bien en sus casas. In 2012, he set a record for most goals in a calendar year, and in 2019, he was named Europe's Ballon d'Or winner for the sixth time. Argentina lost that contest 1–0 to Germany, but Messi nevertheless won the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Argentina. Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). After Argentina was defeated in the Copa final—the team’s third consecutive finals loss in a major tournament—Messi said that he was quitting the national team, but his short-lived “retirement” lasted less than two months before he announced his return to the Argentine team. € * 24 jun. The soccer great eventually reversed his decision, but his participation in the 2018 World Cup did not bring that elusive title, as hoped. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. ¡Pasamos un día genial! He has established records for goals scored and won individual awards en … He did lead "La Albiceleste" to the final of the 2014 World Cup, and was named player of the tournament, although his team lost to Germany. In July 2016, Messi suffered a blow off the soccer field when a Barcelona court found him and his father guilty of three counts of tax fraud. The next year Messi and Barcelona won the Champions League (the European club championship) title.