Lionel Messi is always on sports news for some good reason and also for some wrong reasons. A lot is known about the G.O.A.T Messi, but there are still untold stories about him that only a few know. Do you know that Messi’s first contract with Barcelona was signed on a napkin?
We will be uncovering some interesting facts and stories about Lionel Messi in this article. We will shine a light on some deep parts of his personal life, his career, and records. Grab a cup of coffee and let’s get started.
1. Messi was on the PES cover from 2009 till 2011.
2. Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency which stopped him from growing when he clocked 11.
3. In the 2009 Ballon d’Or, Messi gave Ronaldo a gap of 240 votes scoring 473 against Ronaldo’s 233 votes.
4. Barcelona paid for Messi’s growth hormone deficiency surgery after signing him.
5. Messi’s left foot was golden plaited by a Japanese jeweler, Ginza Takana which was on auction to raise funds for the victims of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
6. Lionel Messi is the most Argentina-capped player with 172 games.
7. Messi’s first contract with Barcelona was signed on a napkin.
8. Messi is a really devout Roman Catholic who met with Pope Francis in Vatican City in 2013.
9. Messi has won 6 European golden boots.
10. Messi has a tattoo of his children’s name and their birth dates on his body.
11. Messi became the Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF in the year 2010.
12. Lionel Messi is the first Argentina player to have scored in four different FIFA Cups.
13. Messi’s mostly loved musical genre is Samba and Cumbia.
14. Messi held the record for the youngest player to score a World Cup goal for Argentina for about 26 years from 2006 to 2022.
15. Messi was born on 24th June 1987 in Rosario, Argentina.
16. Messi was ruled out from the 2006 UEFA Champions League due to an injury.
17. Messi is married to his childhood friend Antonella Roccuzzo.
18. Lionel Messi is one of the youngest players to have scored a FIFA World Cup ranking 6th at the age of 18 years and 357 days.
19. Messi’s father Jorge Messi was also a local youth football team coach and a steelworker.
20. Messi has a tattoo of his mother on his shoulder.
21. With a total match of 1007, Messi has scored 795 goals.
22. Messi is nicknamed ‘The Flea’ due to his speed and agility.
23. A golden replica of Messi’s left foot was sold off on auction for $5.25 million.
24. Messi’s net worth is $620.
25. He has won a total of 56 hat tricks.
26. Messi has 3 children with Antonela; Thiago aged 10, Mateo aged 7, and Ciro, 4.
27. The fastest hat-trick scored by Messi was scored in 11 minutes.
28. Messi is a citizen of Spain.
29. Messi is also Barcelona FC’s all-time top goal scorer.
30. Messi has a total of 18 different tattoos on his body.
31. Messi was once the youngest player to play in La Liga until 2007.
32. Messi has won the Ballon d’Or 7 times.
33. Lionel Messi was the footballer of the year in the year 2009.
34. Messi is the first player to have scored 5 goals in a single Champions League match.
35. The record for the highest number of goals scored in a calendar year belongs to Messi with 91 goals.
36. He was the first player to have won the inaugural UEFA Best Player in the European award.
37. Messi made his first Champions League debut in 2004/2005 when he was 18 years in a match against Shakhtar Donetsk.
38. In the first World Cup Messi led as an Argentina team captain, and they lost to Germany.
39. Messi won the Spanish super cup in 2010.
40. Messi was initially afraid of getting any tattoos on his body but was motivated after his wife Antonella had gotten hers.
41. Messi is one of the all-time top-scorer of the Champions League ranking 2nd with 129 goals.
42. Messi has won the Copa del Rey 7 times.
43. Messi holds the record for the highest number of goals in La Liga having 474 goals.
44. Messi has a foundation called the Leo Messi Foundation that invests in healthcare services to improve children’s lives.
45. After his first son Thiago was born, Messi had his son’s handprints tattooed on the back of his left thigh which symbolizes his becoming a father.
46. Messi is the fastest player to have reached 100 goals in the UEFA Champions League.
47. Messi experienced a 2 month La Liga goal drought.
48. Messi is the youngest player to have made 100 appearances in the UEFA Champions League.
49. Messi is also a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.
50. Messi’s growth hormone deficiency surgery was $900 monthly but his parents could not afford it.
51. Messi has a tattoo of Jesus Christ on the full sleeve of his right arm.
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