lionel messibca-brooksacademy.enschool.org/ourpages/auto/2020/... · 3/23/2020 · fifa...
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LIONELMESSI
LionelMessi
LionelMessiisasoccerplayerwithFCBarcelonaandtheArgentinanationalteam.Hehasestablishedrecordsforgoalsscoredandwonindividualawardsenroutetoworldwiderecognitionasoneofthebestplayersinsoccer.
WhoIsLionelMessi?
! LuisLionelAndres(“Leo”)MessiisanArgentiniansoccerplayerwhoplaysforwardfortheFCBarcelonaclubandtheArgentinanationalteam.Attheageof13,MessimovedfromArgentinatoSpainafterFCBarcelonaagreedtopayforhismedicaltreatments.Thereheearnedrenownasoneofthegreatestplayersinhistory,helpinghisclubwinmorethantwodozenleaguetitlesandtournaments.In2012,hesetarecordformostgoalsinacalendaryear,andin2019,hewasnamedEurope'sBallond'Orwinnerforthesixthtime.
EarlyLife
! MessiwasbornonJune24,1987,inRosario,Argentina.Asayoungboy,Messitaggedalongwhenhistwoolderbrothersplayedsoccerwiththeirfriends,unintimidatedbythebiggerboys.Attheageof8,hewasrecruitedtojointheyouthsystemofNewell'sOldBoys,aRosario-basedclub.Recognizablysmallerthanmostofthekidsinhisagegroup,Messiwaseventuallydiagnosedbydoctorsassufferingfromahormonedeficiencythatrestrictedhisgrowth.Messi'sparents,JorgeandCeclia,decidedonaregimenofnightlygrowth-hormoneinjectionsfortheirson,thoughitsoonprovedimpossibletopayseveralhundreddollarspermonthforthemedication.
EarlyLife
! So,attheageof13,whenMessiwasofferedthechancetotrainatsoccerpowerhouseFCBarcelona'syouthacademy,LaMasia,andhavehismedicalbillscoveredbytheteam,Messi'sfamilypickedupandmovedacrosstheAtlantictomakeanewhomeinSpain.Althoughhewasoftenhomesickinhisnewcountry,Messimovedquicklythroughthejuniorsystemranks.Ultimately,Messi'sshortstature(5feet,7inches),combinedwithhisspeedandrelentlessattackingstyle,hasdrawncomparisonstoanotherfamousArgentinianfootballer,DiegoMaradona.
LionelMessi'sSoccerCareerandTeams
! FCBarcelonaandArgentinaMessihasonlyplayedforFCBarcelona,wherehefirstsignedatage13.HealsoplaysfortheArgentinanationalteam.Bytheageof16,MessimadehisfirstappearancefortheFCBarcelona,puttinghimselfintherecordbooksonMay1,2005,astheyoungestplayertoeverscoreagoalforthefranchise.Thatsameyear,heledArgentinatothetitleintheunder-20WorldCup,scoringonapairofpenaltykickstopropeltheteamoverNigeria.
LionelMessi'sSoccerCareerandTeams
! MessisteeredBarcelonatoawealthofsuccess,mostnotablyin2009,whentheleft-footer'steamcapturedtheChampionsLeague,LaLiga,andSpanishSuperCuptitles.Thatsameyear,aftertwoconsecutiverunner-upfinishes,hetookhomehisfirstFIFA"WorldPlayeroftheYear”award.EventhegreatMaradonagushedabouthisfellowcountryman."Iseehimasverysimilartome,"theretiredplayertoldtheBBC."He'saleaderandisofferinglessonsinbeautifulfootball.Hehassomethingdifferentthananyotherplayerintheworld."
LionelMessi'sSoccerCareerandTeams
! Amazingly,thesoccerwizardcontinuedtoimprove,discoveringnewwaystoeludedefenderswhileleadingBarcelonatoLaLigaandSpanishSuperCupchampionshipsin2010and2011,aswellasthe'11ChampionsLeaguetitle.Messiembarkedonanall-outassaultontherecordbooksin2012.HebecamethefirstplayertoscorefivegoalsinaChampionsLeaguematchinearlyMarch,andafewweekslaterhesurpassedCesarRodriguez'sclub-record232goalstobecomeBarcelona'sall-timeleadingscorer.Bytheendof2012,Messihadaccumulatedanastounding91goalsinclubandinternationalplay,eclipsingthe85nettedinasinglecalendaryearbyGerdMullerin1972.Fittingly,hebrokeanotherrecordwhenhewasnamedtheFIFABallond'OrwinnerforthefourthtimeinJanuary2013.
LionelMessi'sSoccerCareerandTeams
! Thesoccergreatcamebacktoearthsomewhatthatyearduetothepersistenceofhamstringinjuries,butheregainedhisrecord-breakingformbybecomingtheall-timeleadingscorerinLaLigaandChampionsLeagueplayinlate2014.AfterhelpingBarcelonaachieveahistoricsecondtreblein2015,hewashonoredwithhisfifthFIFABallond'Ortrophy.Fouryearslater,followinganotherLaLigatitle,MessiagainestablishedanewstandardforexcellencebyclaiminghissixthBallond'Or.
! ForallhissuccesswithBarcelona,MessihascomeunderfireforhisinabilitytohelpArgentina'snationalteamwinamajortitle.Hedidlead"LaAlbiceleste"tothefinalofthe2014WorldCup,andwasnamedplayerofthetournament,althoughhisteamlosttoGermany.
Stats! AsofAugust2019,Messi'sall-time
highlightsforFCBarcelona:
! Appearances:687
! Goals:603
! Assists:251
! Shotaccuracy:48percent
! Chancescreated:348
MessihaswonFIFA'sPlayeroftheYearsixtimes.He'salsowontheEuropeanGoldenShoefortopscorersixtimes,twomorethanhisnearestrival,CristianoRonaldo.
ContractandSalary
! In2017,MessisignedanewcontractwithFCBarcelonathroughthe2020-21season,whenhe'llbe34yearsold.AccordingtoForbes,hereceiveda$59.6millionsigningbonus.andheearns$667,000perweek,forover$80millionannually.Messi'sbuyoutclausewassetat$835million(€700million).AsofJuly2019,BarcelonawassettoopentalkstonegotiateMessi'ssubsequentandtenthcontractwiththeclub.Almostuniversallyregardedasthebestsoccerplayerinthegame,MessihasadditionallybecomethecommercialfaceofsoccerwithendorsementsfromAdidas,Pepsi,EASportsandTurkishAirways,amongothercompanies.
ContractandSalary
! Asof2019,Messiistheworld'shighest-paidathleteintheworldaccountingforsalaryplusbonusesandendorsements,accordingtoForbes,bypassingfellowsoccergreatRonaldoandbasketballstarLeBronJames.
https://www.biography.com/athlete/lionel-messi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84VLMIHMqMk