Top 10 Facts About Lionel Messi
These Messi facts will have you screaming "goooooooal!" Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down fun and interesting facts about Argentinian soccer phenom Lionel Messi.
Transcript
00:00 playing like Messi comes once in 100 years probably.
00:03 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down fun and interesting facts about Argentinian
00:08 soccer phenom Lionel Messi.
00:10 They call him the flea because he was so little, but I think he's the flea because you can't
00:15 catch him.
00:18 Number 10.
00:19 Early childhood and career.
00:20 Lionel Andres Messi was born in Rosario, Argentina on June 24, 1987.
00:36 He began playing soccer at a very young age and started turning heads almost instantly
00:40 during his tenure in the Newell Old Boys Club youth program.
00:43 Many took notice of his play, including FC Barcelona, who subsequently offered him to
00:47 play in their youth academy, La Masia.
01:02 He relocated to Barcelona and immediately made an impact.
01:05 Playing for the club's under-14 team, he scored 21 goals in 14 games.
01:09 In just a few years, he would move up the ranks and went on to join the main club at
01:12 the mere age of 16.
01:24 Number 9.
01:25 His first contract.
01:26 What's also notable about Messi's early career is the story of how he was recruited.
01:30 During a tryout with FC Barcelona, team executive Carles Reschach couldn't help but notice the
01:35 extraordinary play of the then 12-year-old.
01:37 According to Reschach, it only took him a few minutes to realize that what he had before
01:41 him was a special player.
01:42 Fearing Messi might move quickly and other clubs may take him, Reschach decided to take
01:46 matters into his own hands.
01:48 He approached the youth and made him sign a paper napkin, which he had in his possession
01:51 after a waiter had given it to him.
02:18 Messi signed right then and there, and thus a legend began.
02:21 The agent who secured the deal still has the napkin and had it framed.
02:24 Number 8.
02:25 His growth hormone deficiency.
02:31 At the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency.
02:35 This meant his body wasn't producing enough hormones for normal growth.
02:50 Many clubs expressed concern over both this and his height and as a result passed on him.
02:54 The condition also required expensive treatment that his family couldn't afford.
02:58 Upon joining FC Barcelona, the club agreed that they would cover the expenses for the
03:02 medication required to treat his condition.
03:04 Now proudly standing at approximately 5'7", Messi has shown that his height has done nothing
03:09 to slow him down or hamper his playing ability.
03:25 Number 7.
03:26 Off the pitch and personal life.
03:28 Although Messi leads a very private life, there's still a fair bit to know.
03:43 He's married to fellow Argentine Antonella Rucuzzo, and together they have three children.
03:48 One of his most noted hobbies outside of soccer is to play video games.
03:51 He's a big fan of FIFA, which he has been on the cover of a number of times.
03:55 Messi is also noted for his taste in music, with reggaeton and Latin music being cited
03:59 among some of his favorite genres.
04:01 Although he remains somewhat of an enigma off the pitch, Messi has shown to carry himself
04:04 with grace and character.
04:06 Number 6.
04:07 His business portfolio.
04:13 To accumulate an estimated $600 million net worth, one must evidently be successful not
04:18 only on but off the pitch.
04:20 And Messi has done just that.
04:21 His most notable move saw him ink a lifetime deal with sports brand Adidas, who pay him
04:26 approximately $12 million annually.
04:28 He's also partnered with several other noteworthy brands, including Pepsi, Huawei, and Gillette.
04:33 He's even collaborated with Tommy Hilfiger's sister Ginny Hilfiger to release his own clothing
04:52 line.
04:57 Also known for his penchant to wear nice watches, he collaborated with American watch manufacturer
05:01 Jacob & Co. and produced his very own line.
05:04 He's even opened a sports investment firm.
05:06 One thing's for certain, is that associating with Messi means good business.
05:10 Number 5.
05:11 Legacy and departure from FC Barcelona.
05:26 No ands, ifs, or buts about it, but along with being touted by many as the greatest
05:30 soccer player in history, he's also been deemed the best to ever don an FC Barcelona jersey,
05:35 period.
05:36 In addition to the astronomical and record numbers he's put up, more on that later, he's
05:39 also delivered in several unforgettable moments and defined what it meant to be a franchise
05:44 player and superstar not just in soccer, but all of sports.
05:47 Unfortunately, due to contract and salary complications, his tenure with the team came
05:51 to an end.
06:00 Although he's no longer with the club, his name will forever remain synonymous with FC
06:04 Barcelona.
06:18 Number 4.
06:19 Record breaker.
06:20 As previously mentioned, Messi's numbers are outmatched.
06:22 Having joined Barcelona aged 13 and started training with the first team while still barely
06:27 a teenager, Messi now holds their records for the most games, goals, assists, wins,
06:34 and titles.
06:35 In addition to holding all of FC Barcelona's main records as of the time of writing, Messi
06:39 holds the record for most goals scored in an entire season.
06:42 He holds the most goals and hat-tricks in La Liga history.
06:52 No La Liga player has even scored more goals than he has in a single season.
06:57 Even on the national stage, no Argentine player has scored more than Messi.
07:00 There have been legends of the game before him, and others will doubtless follow.
07:04 But for now, quite simply, has there ever been anyone better?
07:08 He's one of only two players to score over 100 goals in UEFA history, the other being
07:13 his most formidable rival.
07:15 Number 3.
07:16 The rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo.
07:29 The debate as to which one of these players is the all-time GOAT in soccer is so heavily
07:32 discussed, we even made a video about it.
07:35 Welcome to WatchMojo, and in this installment of Versus, we're pitting Lionel Messi against
07:39 Cristiano Ronaldo to hopefully settle the debate on just who's the best modern-day
07:44 soccer player.
07:45 But for those who are not aware, year after year, Messi's accomplishments are frequently
07:48 compared to those of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
07:52 Although they have somewhat different playing styles, they do one thing very well, and that's
07:56 score goals.
08:05 The rivalry was also further intensified when Ronaldo joined FC Barcelona's rival team
08:10 Real Madrid, in turn making the El Clásico matchups even more meaningful.
08:14 While both men are well aware of their rivalry and the attention which it brings, they have
08:18 always shown and expressed respect for one another.
08:30 Number 2.
08:31 Charity work
08:32 With the fame and fortune that he has achieved during his career, Messi has made it a point
08:35 to give back to those who are less fortunate.
08:37 In 2007, he created the Leo Messi Foundation to assist underprivileged youth.
08:42 The aim is to help children, and in a short time the foundation has grown a lot and achieved
08:46 important things.
08:47 We are happy for this and hope to keep doing a lot more.
08:51 Likely influenced by the challenges he faced with his growth hormone deficiency, the foundation
08:55 has put an emphasis on helping children who suffer from health issues.
08:58 While also collaborating with other foundations for charity work, he was also appointed a
09:03 Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF in 2010.
09:05 He's made several noteworthy donations while travelling around the world to help those
09:09 in need.
09:10 He also has acts of kindness towards those in need are plentiful, and it's clear that
09:13 Messi knows how to bring joy both on and off the pitch.
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09:39 Number 1.
09:40 Putting the MLS on Notice
09:59 Shortly after his stint with Paris Saint-Germain came to a close on July 5, 2023, it was announced
10:04 that Messi had agreed to terms with Inter Miami CF and MLS.
10:08 Although his tenure has been brief, his impact has been evident.
10:15 Not only has it brought more eyes to the MLS, but more dollars as well.
10:30 Inter Miami has understandably become the highest selling team in the league.
10:34 According to online ticket vendor StubHub, the average price of a single game ticket
10:37 to watch an Inter Miami home game has jumped from $152 to $329.
10:43 Not to mention the fact that the move has boosted subscribers for Apple TV, the official
10:47 streaming service for MLS, with an estimated 288,000 new subscriptions coming just one
10:52 month after Messi's arrival.
10:54 And this is only just the beginning.
10:56 What is it about Messi that you enjoy?
10:58 Let us know below!
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