The iconic Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, often hailed as the 'greatest footballer of all time', celebrates his 37th birthday on Monday. Born in Rosario, Argentina, in 1987, Messi recently secured his eighth Ballon d’Or, setting a new record. The next closest is Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo, who has five Ballon d’Or awards to his name.
At the age of 13, Messi and his family relocated to Barcelona, where the club supported him in treating his growth hormone deficiency. Starting with FC Barcelona’s U14 squad, Messi swiftly progressed through the ranks, impressing everyone with his exceptional talent and skills. He made his senior club debut at just 17 against Espanyol, quickly becoming a pivotal figure for the Blaugranas. At the time, the 37-year-old was the team’s youngest star to feature in the competition.
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During his 17-year tenure with the Spanish club, Messi amassed an impressive collection of 10 La Liga titles, 4 Champions League triumphs, and 7 Copa del Rey medals. His tally of 474 goals in La Liga cements him as the league’s all-time leading scorer.
Messi captivated the world with his recreation of Diego Maradona’s 'goal of the century' in 2007. During a Copa del Rey semifinal against Getafe at Camp Nou, he dribbled past six defenders to score an unforgettable goal.
In 2009, Messi claimed his first UEFA Champions League title as Barcelona defeated Manchester United 2-0 in the final, with the Argentine national team captain scoring a header.
In 2020, Messi achieved another milestone by scoring his 644th goal in a 3-0 win over Real Valladolid, surpassing Pele’s record for most goals scored for a single club (643 goals for Santos FC).
After leaving Barcelona, Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain in the French Ligue 1 from 2021 to 2023, playing 58 games and scoring 22 goals for the club. In 2023, he moved to Inter Miami, owned by David Beckham, where he has played 18 matches and scored 13 goals so far.
Messi made his international debut in August 2005, replacing an injured player during a match against Hungary. However, his debut was cut short when he was sent off minutes after clashing with Vilmos Vanczak.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Messi played a pivotal role in Argentina’s gold medal win, assisting the game-winning goal as La Albiceleste secured their second consecutive Olympic title with a 1-0 victory over Nigeria.
In the 2021 Copa America final at Maracana Stadium, Messi fulfilled his long quest for a major international trophy as Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0.
The pinnacle of Messi’s career came in 2022 when he led Argentina to victory in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Scoring twice in the final against France, Messi helped Argentina claim the world champions title via a penalty shootout, ending a 36-year drought for the national team.
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