Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Inter Miami and captains the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Messi has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, six European Golden Shoes, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina. From a boy in Rosario who needed growth hormone treatment to the most decorated player in football history, his career has redefined what is possible on a football pitch. This is his full story.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Lionel Andrés Messi |
| Age | 39 years old |
| Date of Birth | June 24, 1987 |
| Birthplace | Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Occupation | Professional Footballer |
| Current Team | Inter Miami (Major League Soccer) |
| Position | Forward |
| Wife | Antonela Roccuzzo (married 2017) |
| Children | Thiago, Mateo and Ciro Messi |
| Net Worth | Approx. $850 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2025) |
Who Is Lionel Messi?
Lionel Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward for Inter Miami and captains the Argentina national team. Born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, he is 39 years old and stands 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) tall. He is married to his childhood sweetheart, Antonela Roccuzzo.
Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of football. He has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, six European Golden Shoes and the FIFA World Player of the Year award eight times. His long rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo defined an entire era of the sport, with the two trading the Ballon d’Or back and forth for more than a decade. In December 2022, Messi completed football by captaining Argentina to victory at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, winning the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. He has also been named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year twice, in 2020 and 2023, and was ranked the All Time Men’s World Best Player by the IFFHS in 2025. Off the pitch, his net worth is estimated at approximately $850 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2025).
Early Life & Background
Lionel Andrés Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, a port city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. His father, Jorge Messi, worked as a steel factory manager, and his mother, Celia Cuccittini, worked in a magnet manufacturing workshop. He grew up in a football-loving family and began kicking a ball almost as soon as he could walk, playing for the local club Grandoli, coached by his father, before joining the youth academy of Newell’s Old Boys, the Rosario club he supported as a boy.
At the age of 10, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. The treatment was expensive, and his family could not afford it on their own. His talent, though, was so obvious that FC Barcelona offered to pay for his medical treatment and bring the whole family to Spain. At 13, Messi moved to Barcelona and joined the club’s famed La Masia academy, where his small stature became an advantage, giving him a low center of gravity that made him almost impossible to tackle. He grew up far from home, learning Catalan and Spanish, and rose through Barcelona’s youth teams at a remarkable speed.
Career
Messi made his first-team debut for Barcelona in October 2004 at the age of 17, becoming the youngest player to represent the club in an official match at the time. What followed was 21 seasons of brilliance. He scored 672 goals in 778 appearances for Barcelona, becoming the club’s all-time top scorer, and won 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League titles (2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015). Under Pep Guardiola, he led the greatest club team many observers have ever seen, winning an unprecedented treble in 2009 and again in 2015. He won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009, the first of four in a row from 2009 to 2012, a feat no player had ever achieved.
With Argentina, Messi’s journey was longer and harder. He made his senior international debut in 2005 and played for his country for 21 years. After losing three Copa América finals and the 2014 World Cup final, he finally lifted his first major international trophy at the 2021 Copa América, then led Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar, scoring seven goals in the tournament, including two in a thrilling final against France. He added a second Copa América in 2024 and also won Olympic gold with Argentina at Beijing 2008. He is Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, a record that may stand for decades.
In August 2021, Barcelona’s financial crisis forced a tearful farewell, and Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain, where he won two Ligue 1 titles in two seasons. In July 2023, he made the biggest move of his career, joining Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. He won the Leagues Cup in his first weeks with the club, its first ever trophy, led Miami to the Supporters’ Shield in 2024 and to the club’s first MLS Cup in 2025, transforming American soccer’s profile in the process. Like fellow sporting icons Michael Jordan and Tom Brady, Messi’s name is now shorthand for sporting greatness itself.
Facts About Lionel Messi
- He has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, more than any other player in history, and six European Golden Shoes as Europe’s top scorer.
- He captained Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, and also won Olympic gold at Beijing 2008.
- He scored 672 goals in 778 appearances for FC Barcelona, making him the club’s all-time top scorer and the highest scorer ever for a single club.
- He was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in 2020 and 2023, and was ranked the All Time Men’s World Best Player by the IFFHS in 2025.
- He has been married to Antonela Roccuzzo, his childhood sweetheart from Rosario, since June 2017, and the couple have three sons: Thiago, Mateo and Ciro.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Lionel Messi?
Lionel Messi is 39 years old. He was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina.
How tall is Lionel Messi?
Lionel Messi is 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) tall.
Who is Lionel Messi married to?
Lionel Messi is married to Antonela Roccuzzo, his childhood sweetheart from Rosario. They married in June 2017 and have three sons: Thiago, Mateo and Ciro.
What is Lionel Messi’s net worth?
Lionel Messi’s net worth is estimated at approximately $850 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2025), built from his football salary, endorsements and business ventures.
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