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Lionel Andres Messi was born on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe and comes from the family with Italian roots. When he was five, Messi started playing for local club Grandoli and in 1995 he moved to Rosario giants Newell’s Old Boys. At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency and the treatment cost around $900 a month. Argentine giants River Plate showed interest in his services, but didn’t want to pay for his treatment, and the player soon ended up at Barcelona.

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The then sporting director of Barca Carlos Rexach offered to pay for Messi’s medical treatment if he moves to Camp Nou, end the player enrolled in club’s famous youth academy. After showing plenty of potential playing for Barca youth teams, the Argentine was handed his first team debut in October 2004 by coach Frank Rijkaard, who continued to give Messi playing time in order to aid his development.

The 2006-07 season saw Messi become a first team regular, with 14 goals in 26 matches a great return for the then 19-year-old. During that season, the Argentine scored two goals in the Copa del Rey semi-final against Getafe, one of which eerily resembled the goal that Diego Armando Maradona had scored at the World Cup in Mexico, which was later dubbed the Goal of the Century.

Messi soon become an essential part of the squad that would go on to establish domestic and international dominance thanks to their tiqui-taca football, with the player’s false nine role enabling his teammates from midfield to make forward runs to a devastating effect.

Despite being just 24 at the moment, Messi has already won five La Liga titles, three Champions League trophies, FIFA Club World Cup and two UEFA Super Cups with Barcelona, while winning Olympic gold with Argentina in 2008. His personal achievements include more than 60 different awards, so it is little wonder that many football pundits has no doubts as to who is the best football player in the world.

Messi made his international debut in August 2005, at the age of 18 and, interestingly enough, he was sent off just two minutes after coming on for headbutting one opposition defender. The forward took part in the 2006 World Cup despite struggling with injury and he managed to score one goal and set up another in Argentina’s 6:0 win over Serbia. He was sparingly used by coach Jose Pekerman and had to watch the quarter-final defeat to Germany from the bench.

Messi played really well at the 2007 Copa America, where his partnership with Juan Roman Riquelme led Argentina to the tournament final, but los Albicelestes eventually lost the final game 3:0. The player then took part at the 2008 Summer Olympics, where his excellent understanding with Riquelme helped Argentina win their second title since 1993.

In spite of his good showings at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Messi was heavily criticized for not scoring a single goal during the tournament that saw Argentina get eliminated in the quarter-finals by Germany and the player is still criticized for not being able to replicate his club for at international level.