Messi(born24June1987)isanArgentinefootballerwhocurrentlyplaysforBarcelonaandtheArgentinenationalteam.Consideredasoneofthebestfootballplayersofhisgenerationandfrequentlycitedastheworld'sbestcontemporaryplayer,Messihad
receivedseveralBallond'OrandFIFAWorldPlayeroftheYearnominationsbytheageof21andwonbothbytheageof22.HisplayingstyleandabilityhavedrawncomparisonstofootballlegendDiegoMaradona,whohimselfdeclaredMessihis"successor."
LionelMessibeganplayingfootballatayoungageandhispotentialwasquicklyidentifiedbyBarcelona.HeleftRosario-basedNewell'sOldBoys'syouthteamin2000andmovedwithhisfamilytoEurope,asBarcelonaofferedtreatmentforhisgrowthhormone
deficiency.Makinghisdebutinthe2004–05season,hebroketheLaLigarecordfortheyoungestfootballertoplayaleaguegame,andalsotheyoungesttoscorealeaguegoal.MajorhonourssoonfollowedasBarcelonawonLaLigainMessi'sdebutseason,andwonadoubleoftheleagueandChampionsLeaguein2006.Hisbreakthroughseasonwasin2006–07;hebecameafirstteamregular,scoringahat-trickinElClásicoandfinishingwith14goalsin26leaguegames.Perhapshismostsuccessfulseasonwasthe2008–09season,inwhichMessiscored38goalstoplayanintegralpartinatreble-winningcampaign.
Messiwasthetopscorerofthe2005FIFAWorldYouthChampionshipwithsixgoals,includingtwointhefinalgame.Shortlythereafter,hebecameanestablishedmemberofArgentina'sseniorinternationalteam.In2006,hebecametheyoungestArgentinetoplayintheFIFAWorldCupandhewonarunners-upmedalattheCopaAméricatournamentthefollowingyear.In2008,inBeijing,hewonhisfirstinternationalhonour,anOlympicgoldmedal,withtheArgentinaOlympicfootballteam.