Biography of Lionel Messi (till 2021)

Lionel Andrés Messi, also known as "Leo" or "Messi," is a professional Argentine soccer player who currently plays as a forward for Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He is widely considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time.

Messi was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. He began playing soccer at a young age and joined the youth academy of Newell's Old Boys, a local soccer club, when he was six years old. When Messi was 11 years old, he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, which required expensive treatment. Barcelona, a Spanish soccer club, offered to pay for his treatment and signed him to their youth academy.

Messi made his way up through the ranks of Barcelona's youth teams and made his professional debut for the club in 2004, at the age of 17. He quickly became a key player for the team and helped lead them to numerous victories in domestic and international competitions. In 2009, he was named the FIFA World Player of the Year, and he has won the award a record six times.

In addition to his success with Barcelona, Messi has also had a successful career with the Argentina national team. He has scored more than 70 goals for the team and helped lead them to victory in the 2014 World Cup.

Off the field, Messi is known for his charitable work and has donated millions of dollars to various causes, including children's hospitals and disaster relief efforts. He is also involved in various endorsement deals and is considered one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.