Lionel Andrs Messi (born Lionel Andrs Messi; June 24, 1987, Rosario) - Argentine footballer who plays

for Spanish "Barcelona", the captain of Argentina. The media often refer to it as the "new Maradona" [4]. Messi - 2008 Olympic champion, world champion among young people in 2005 (the best player and best scorer of the tournament). In the "Barcelona" five-times champion of Spain (2004/05 2005/06 and 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11). In 2007, 2009 and 2010, was named the best player in the championship of Spain. In 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 was named the best player of the year in Argentina, the last four were awarded as the best Argentine abroad (with the 2008 prize was divided in two nominations: best soccer player in the championship of the speaker and the best of Argentina Argentine abroad) [5]. Also, three-time winner of the Champions League (2005/06 2008/09 2010/11) and top scorer in La Liga in 2010, the top scorer of the Champions League 08/09 09/10 10/11, as well as top scorer in official matches for the "Barcelona" in history. In 2007/08 season came with the "Barcelona" to the semifinals of the Champions League and next season, won the final of the "Manchester United" 2:0. In 2009, Lionel Messi was voted best player of the year in club soccer for the release and the best striker in the UEFA Champions League. Messi is the owner of "Golden Ball" in 2009 as the best footballer in Europe. December 19, 2009 in Abu Dhabi, Messi became the champion of the World Cup, scoring the winning goal in the final match. December 21 Lionel Messi received another award, "Diamond Ball", becoming the best player of 2009 by FIFA. January 10, 2011 Lionel Messi was voted best player in the World 2010. Massey became the first winner of "Golden Ball FIFA," the joint award from France Football and FIFA. Messi ahead of his team-mates on the "Barcelona", Xavi and Andres Iniesta. August 25, 2011 Massey was awarded the best player in Europe according to UEFA. Lionel Messi ahead of his teammate Xavi and Cristiano Ronaldo from the "Real" [6]. January 9, 2012 Messi once again received the "Golden Ball FIFA", ahead of Xavi and Cristiano Ronaldo. March 20, 2012 Lionel Messi in the match against the Spanish La Liga club's "Granada" in the Camp Nou stadium has scored 3 goals, setting a record for efficiency in all official matches "Barcelona" - scored 234 goals. The previous record belonged to Csar Rodrguez (232 goals), who stood for the "Barcelona" in the 50s of the twentieth century. Biography Massey was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. His father - Horacio Jorge Messi, a factory worker at a steel mill, the mother of Maria Celia Massey (maiden Kuchchittini), partially occupied by a cleaning lady [7] [8] [9]. He has two older brothers named Rodrigo and Matias, and a sister named Maria Sol [10]. Two of his cousins - Emanuel and Maximiliano Byankuchchi are also football players. His father's family comes from the Italian city of Ancona, where his ancestor, Angelo Messi, emigrated to Argentina in 1883 [11] [12]. Other of his ancestors were originally from Catalonia in particular, his great-grandfather, Ramon Perez Llobera (born in 1895 in El Poalei), whose granddaughter, Rosa Maria Perez of Argentina was married to Eusebio Massey Baro, a descendant of Angelo. Ramon's brother, Gonalo Llobera Perez (born in 1904 in El Poalei), we have another great-grandfather the famous football player, Bojan Bojan [13] [14]. Messi began playing football at the age of five years at a local club "Grandoli", coached by his father, Jorge [15]. At the first session of his relegated grandmother Celia, the only one of a family who wanted to see his player [1], and thereafter all of his goals Lionel devoted to it [16]. In 1995 he began to play for, "Newell's Old Boys" who were based in his hometown of Rosario. In 1997 he won with the club Friendship Cup in Peru. At age 11 he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (growth hormone) [17]. "River Plate" showed interest in Messi, but did not have enough money to pay for treatment, because it cost $ 900 a month [18].

When Lionel was 13 years old, one of the shareholders of the club "Barcelona" learned of a young footballer. He hired two scouts Martin Montero and Fabian Soldini, who persuaded his father to go show Messi at the club. September 17, 2000 Massey with his father arrived in Catalonia, however, due to employment of the club sports director, Carles Rexach, a view held on October 3. Rexach was so impressed with the talent of the player that persuaded the board of directors "blue garnet" to pay the family moved to Europe, Messi, and treatment, which cost 90,000 euros a year. Since then, he began performing in the club's youth team [1].