Top 20 Facts About Lionel Messi

Top 20 Facts About Lionel Messi

*Originally published by Facundo on May 2020, Updated by Vanessa R in May 2023 and Updated by Felix in March 2024

They say that football is the king of sports; an autonomous structure of super-professional sportsmen and coaches, a business of billions of dollars, the dream of boys and girls in the seven continents (yes, also in the U.S.), a planet itself.

A planet with a ruler called Lionel Andres Messi, the Emperor of Football. Come with me, let’s have a closer look at the Top 10 Facts about Lionel Messi.

1. F.C Barcelona hired Messi by writing his contract on a napkin

In 2000, the famous F. C. Barcelona’s scout Carles Rexach flew to Rosario, Argentina, to see young Lionel Messi, 12, play football. He was an experienced man, former player and coach, quite used to deal with young sports promises but he was so excited when he saw Messi pick the ball, carry it and score as if alone in the pitch (yes, the usual Messi stuff), that he wrote a contract  on a paper napkin and hired him immediately.

2. A Tale of Two Nations

Some years after Lionel arrived at Barcelona, the Royal Spanish Football Federation became obsessed with a plan to invite him to join the Spanish Football Team.

But Messi had a different idea; he wanted to follow the path of the former super star Diego Maradona and play for Argentina, so he declined the offer. When the Argentinian Football Association learned about this situation, they organized two under-20 friendlies, although they had barely heard a thing about young Messi (actually, they did not know who that Messi guy was).

3. The Hand of God and the Messi(ah)

The third incredible fact in this list of Top 10 Facts about Lionel Messi has to do with his incredible skills – so amazing that he began to be compared with 80’s star Diego Armando Maradona.

The comparison soon became more and more apparent, as young Lionel Messi emulated in one week, in 2007, the goals Maradona scored in 1896 FIFA World Cup’s semifinals against England. This is known as the famous (and infamous) Goal of the Century and Hand of God.

Later, in 2010, Messi and Maradona shared team, as captain and coach of the Argentinian’s National Team in South Africa’s FIFA world Cup where, against all odds, they established a respectful and wonderful relationship.

It is said that Maradona helped Messi to improve his technique for free kicks in that time.

4. Messi dedicates all of his goals to his late grandmother

You have probably watched hundreds of goals scored by Lionel Messi, for sure. You have probably noticed, thus, that every time that Messi scores, his arms and eyes point automatically up to the sky, as if he were praying. In fact, he is not praying, but dedicating all of his goals to his grandmother, Celia Olivera Cuccittini, who passed away some years ago.

Celia was who first recognized Lionel’s skills and who took him to a football pitch for the first time. Maybe all football lovers should do as Lionel and thank Celia for all those wonderful performances we have witnessed during the last decade.

5. Mr. Hat Trick

If you are new here, and you don’t already know what a hat trick is, I am about to tell you!

A hat trick is when a football player scores three times in same match, something which is not as easy as it sounds in professional football, where you can find world class players who have not scored even a single goal in their careers.

Hat tricks are extremely exceptional, of course, unless your name is Lionel Messi (or Cristiano Ronaldo!). The Argentinian player has scored three or more goals in 53 matches! Yeah, fifty-three hat tricks for the fifth position in our Top 10 Facts about Lionel Messi!

6. Lionel Messi is the King of El Clasico

All Lionel Messi’s hat tricks where great, but there are two that F. C. Barcelona’s fans will never forget. Lionel scored his first hat trick in the Clasico against Real Madrid in 2007 (3-3), when he was just 19, and repeated this in 2014, this time in Madrid’s Stadium (3-4). That day Lionel Messi also broke the record of 18 goals in the Derby, held by another Argentinian Top player, the legendary Alfredo Di Stefano.

7. Messi has scored almost 700 goals to date

Lionel Messi has been compared with those console players which score hundreds of goals. Fortunately for us, Lionel Messi is not run by an algorithm; he is a human being with a great deal of talent (I mean it!) that helped him to score more than 700 hundred goals playing for F. C. Barcelona and Argentina’s National Team in eight different competitions since his debut at 17, in 2004.

Top scorer in La Liga (where he also holds a record of 50 goals in season 2011-2012), Top scorer in Copa del Rey, Top scorer for Argentina, Messi’s scoring skills come apparent as one big fact in the Top 10 Facts about Lionel Messi.

8. Messi has won 6 Golden Boots & 6 Golden Balls so far

Messi is such a brilliant individual that he has turned it into something different. He has won six Golden Balls (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019), six Golden Boots (2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019) and The Best award in 2019, among others.

9. Messi holds a Guinness World Record

Messi holds the Guinness World Records title for his 91 goals scored in a calendar year, back in 2012.

10.  Messi has never won a major international trophy

Although Lionel Messi is one of the most spectacular football players who has ever existed, and although he has won the Under 20 World Cup and an Olympic Gold Medal with Argentina, he is still struggling to win a major international trophy. He was close in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and will have another chance in 2022, as a veteran. Go for it, Lionel, you definitely deserve it!

11. He had a growth hormone deficiency

Like the other boys around him, Messi was not an especially healthy child. At the tender age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficit that was slowing his usual pace of growth. His treatment cost $900 per month, and Barcelona paid for it after they signed him because his parents could not afford it. 

12. His real name is Luis

According to Biography.com, the athlete, who is simply known as Lionel Messi, was actually given birth to on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, as Luis Lionel Andres Messi. Several reports—including Sam Kelly’s at ESPN—that he was named after American crooner Lionel Richie are therefore untrue. It’s unclear why the player, or even his parents, chose for him to be known as Lionel.

13. He has Italian roots

Argentina native and upbringing. Currently has two nationalities—Spain and dual citizenship. However, Lionel Messi’s family is Italian by birth. According to the town’s Wikipedia article, Recanati is a town in the Province of Macerata in the east of the nation where the paternal ancestors of Barcelona’s No. 1 son have their roots. The Messi family was reportedly centred in Ancona, according to Rajath Kumar of Forza Italian Football, whose ancestor Angelo Messi immigrated to Argentina in 1883.

14. He looked up to Pablo Aimar

Messi is seen as a role model by many younger athletes, but who did he look up to when he was younger? Pablo Aimar, a fellow Argentine and former playmaker for Valencia and Real Zaragoza, was his idol. They often competed against one another in La Liga, but one memorable game took place in 2004 when Aimar approached a 17-year-old Messi who had been an unused substitute and offered him his shirt. Even today, he cherishes that jersey. Additionally, Aimar was a member of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad. He was Lionel Scaloni’s head coach’s assistant.

15. He is related to a former Barcelona teammate

Darz Mol, CC BY-SA 2.5 ES, via Wikimedia Commons

Unbelievably, Messi is related to Bojan Krkic, a former colleague of his at Barcelona. The two ex-stars for Barcelona are fourth cousins. Mariano Perez Miralles and Teresa Llobera Minguet, who wed in Catalonia in 1846 and gave birth to Ramon Perez and Goncal Perez, were their great-great-great grandparents.

While Goncal’s son Jaume Perez Civit remained in Catalonia, Ramon’s son Jose Perez Sole relocated to Argentina. Bojan and Lionel Messi are the great-grandsons of Jaume Perez Civit and Jose Perez Sole.

16. He refused to join Arsenal

When Messi was a young player at Barcelona’s La Masia Academy, Arsene Wenger, the previous manager of Arsenal, tried to sign him. Wenger claims that one of his scouts made him aware of Messi’s potential and that he tried to set up a deal to bring him to Arsenal.

While still in Barcelona’s youth programme, Messi was already being praised as a rising star, and the Catalan club was keen to keep him. Messi ultimately stayed with Barca and went on to become one of the most renowned and acclaimed footballers in history.

17. He’s the youngest Argentine to have played in the World Cup

At 18 years, 11 months, and 23 days old, Messi made his World Cup debut for Argentina in 2006, making history as the country’s youngest-ever player in the tournament.

18. He’s the most successful player in the club’s history

Кирилл Венедиктов, CC BY-SA 3.0 GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons

Lionel Messi is the most successful player in the history of FC Barcelona with 35 major championships to his name. Ten La Liga, seven Copa del Rey, four Champions League, three Fifa Club World Cup, three Uefa Super Cup, and eight Supercopa de Espana are among the trophies he has won.

19. He’s the only player who has the Golden Cups twice

Lionel Messi made history by being the first and only player to ever win the Golden Ball award twice by winning it at the 2022 World Cup. Prior to that, he had won it at the 2014 World Cup.

20.Messi loves Ballon d’Ors

With a record seven victories, Messi holds the record for most Ballon d’Or honours. He won the Ballon d’Or for the first time in 2009, and then again in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021. Notable players with multiple Ballon d’Or victories include Cristiano Ronaldo (five times), Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Alfredo Di Stefano, Franz Beckenbauer, Kevin Keegan, and Ronaldo (two victories each).

Thank you for reading the Top 20 Facts about Lionel Messi. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did. Keep on reading our blog for more Top 10 Facts! Have a nice day out and enjoy the game! See you soon!

Messi’s Incredible Milestones and Record

You know that feeling when you’re watching something so extraordinary unfold before your eyes that it almost doesn’t seem real? That’s the sensation I get when witnessing Lionel Messi play football. This diminutive Argentine magician has been rewriting the record books for over a decade with his mind-boggling talent and achievements. Just when you think he couldn’t possibly raise the bar any higher, Messi goes and shatters another long-standing record. He’s the all-time top scorer for Barcelona and the Argentine national teams.

Messi has more Ballons d’Or than any other player in history. He is the only footballer to win six European Golden Shoes. His milestones just keep piling up at a dizzying rate. In 2012, he became the first player to score against every La Liga team in consecutive seasons. By 2020, he had racked up over seven hundred career goals for Barcelona. And incredibly, Messi is still going strong and adding to his epic legacy at age thirty-six. Join me as we look back at the most remarkable feats and milestones from this once-in-an-eternity footballing genius. The numbers are simply stratospheric.

The following are twenty incredible milestones and records by the Argentine:

1. Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award a Record of Eight times

Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Lionel Messi has etched his name in history by winning the coveted Ballon d’Or award a record eight times. This prestigious honor, awarded annually to the best player in the world, recognizes Messi’s extraordinary talent, consistency, and dominance on the pitch. His unparalleled skill, goal-scoring prowess, and ability to mesmerize fans worldwide have solidified his status as one of the greatest players in the history of the beautiful game.

2. He is Barcelona’s all-time leading Goal Scorer

Messi’s status as Barcelona’s all-time leading goal scorer, with a staggering tally of over six hundred goals, is a testament to his exceptional scoring prowess and longevity at the highest level. This remarkable achievement underscores his consistency, lethal finishing, and unwavering commitment to his beloved club. Messi’s ability to find the back of the net with such regularity has not only rewritten records, and books but also etched his name in the annals of Barcelona’s illustrious history, cementing his legacy as an all-time great.

3. In 2012, Messi scored ninety-one goals for both Barcelona and Argentina

Fanny Schertzer, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In 2012, Lionel Messi achieved an astonishing feat that still stands as a record in soccer. The Argentine maestro scored an incredible ninety-one goals for both his club Barcelona, and the Argentine national team during that calendar year. This extraordinary accomplishment showcased Messi’s relentless goal-scoring prowess. His phenomenal tally of ninety-one goals in a single year not only rewrote the record books but also cemented his status as one of the most prolific scorers in the history of the beautiful game.

4. Messi holds the Record for Most Goals in a Season

Lionel Messi etched his name in the record books with an extraordinary feat in the 2011–2012 season, scoring an astonishing fifty goals. This remarkable tally stands as the record for the most goals scored in a single season by a player in any of the top European leagues. This record-breaking season solidified Messi’s status as one of the greatest goal-scorers in the history of the beautiful game.

5. He is the only Player who has scored Forty or more Goals in Ten or More Campaigns

The incredible, talented man has achieved a remarkable feat that underscores his unparalleled consistency and prolific goal-scoring abilities. He is the only player in the history of the sport to have scored forty or more goals in ten or more campaigns. This staggering achievement highlights Messi’s sustained excellence over an extended period, defying the norms of soccer and rewriting the record books. His ability to maintain such a high level of performance season after season shows his dedication and unwavering commitment to the game. This unique record solidifies Messi’s status as one of the greatest goal-scorers of all time.

6. He is the only Player to have Scored in Six different Club Competitions Twice in one season

Christopher Johnson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A fact that many do not know is that Messi is the only player in history to have scored in six different club competitions twice in a single season. To score in six different competitions, including domestic leagues, cup competitions, and prestigious European tournaments, not just once but twice in the same season, is a testament to Messi’s consistency, mental fortitude, and relentless pursuit of excellence. This unique record highlights his ability to rise to the occasion, regardless of the opposition or the stage, and underscores his status as one of the most prolific and influential players in the history of the beautiful game.

7. Messi has the most Appearances in Ballon d’Or top three

Messi’s dominance in football is exemplified by making the most appearances in the top three of the prestigious Ballon d’Or award. Messi has been among the top three finalists a staggering fourteen times, a record that stands as a testament to his sustained excellence and consistent brilliance over an extended period. This achievement underscores his ability to maintain an extraordinarily high level of performance year after year, consistently being recognized as one of the finest players in the world by his peers, coaches, and football experts.

8. He has the longest Scoring Streak in a Top Flight League 

No player has ever scored as many goals in a row as Lionel Messi. An incredible twenty-one matches in a row saw Messi score a goal in each. In addition to shattering records, this scoring run demonstrated Messi’s ability to play at the greatest level every time, breaking the rules of the game and rendering opponents defenseless against his goal-scoring talent. Messi solidified his place among the greatest goal scorers in history by scoring goals in twenty-one straight games in a top-tier league. This is a real testimonial to his extraordinary talent and unmatched brilliance on the field.

9. He is the only Player who Scored in all Five Rounds in a World Cup Tournament

Egghead06, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Another feat was scoring in all five rounds of a single World Cup tournament. By scoring in the group stage, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final itself, Messi made World Cup history, demonstrating his unwavering composure, clinical finishing, and unparalleled goal-scoring prowess. Considering the immense pressure at the tournament, Messi’s achievement showcases his superhuman ability. The achievement is a testament to his enduring greatness and further solidifies his status as one of the most influential and iconic players in history.

10. He has Won the World Cup, Ballon d’Or, Golden Ball, and UEFA Champions League

This incredible little man stands alone as the only player to have won the coveted World Cup, Ballon d’Or, Golden Ball, and UEFA Champions League. This unprecedented quadruple triumph underscores his unparalleled dominance and multifaceted excellence on the biggest stages of both club and international football. By conquering the pinnacles of the sport – the World Cup, the accolade for the world’s best player, the Golden Ball for the best player at the World Cup, and the prestigious Champions League – Messi has cemented his legacy as an all-time great.

11. First Player ever to score consecutively against all Teams in a Professional League

Saadick Dhansay, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It is not easy to score against all teams in a professional league unless you are Messi. He was incredible, scoring against every opponent he faced within a single league campaign. This record-breaking achievement not only highlights Messi’s clinical finishing. Messi’s status as the first player to achieve this remarkable feat further solidifies his legacy as one of the greatest goal scorers, a testament to his exceptional talent and unparalleled skill on the pitch.

12. Messi has the Most FIFA Club World Cup Golden Balls in history

Lionel Messi has won the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball awards twice. His match-winning performances in the club’s World Cup placed him in an excellent position to be awarded as many times as anybody else would ever dream. The FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball is awarded to the standout players of the tournament, recognizing their exceptional skill, impact, and influential displays throughout the competition. Messi’s record of claiming this honor twice shows his capacity to rise to the occasion in high-stakes matches, and his ability to lead his team to glory on the grandest of stages.

13. He was the Youngest Player to reach one Hundred appearances in UEFA Champions League 

On top of scoring goals, Messi became the youngest player to reach one hundred UEFA Champions League appearances. This remarkable feat at the age of twenty-seven shows his adaptability to continue playing in several games even at a young age. By reaching the milestone Champions League appearances at such a tender age, Messi established himself as a prodigious talent on the grandest stage of European club football. This achievement not only highlights his early exposure to the elite level of competition but also his consistency and durability in maintaining a place among the game’s elite for an extended period.

14. First player in La Liga to score at least Twice in one Hundred Games

Кирилл Венедиктов, CC BY-SA 3.0 GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons

While scoring goals can prove difficult for many players, Messi made it look easy. He scored at least twice in one hundred matches, making it more than two hundred goals in one hundred goals. His goal tally kept rising regardless of the opponents he faced. To him, a brace against a top league team is as easy as one against a lower tire team.

15. He holds the record for Most Free Kicks Scored for Barcelona

Lionel Messi has scored an incredible fifty free-kick goals for Barcelona, the most by any player in the team’s illustrious history. The record shows his ability to bend the ball with pinpoint accuracy and his unwavering composure in high-pressure set-piece situations. Barcelona fans would celebrate every time their team had a free kick to take because of their special talisman.

16. He has the Most Assists provided in Football History 

Lionel Messi has provided the most assists in the history of football, with an incredible tally of over three hundred and fifty-seven assists (in 2024). This remarkable record showcases Messi’s exceptional vision, creativity, and ability to not only score goals but also set up his teammates with pinpoint precision. Football players would attest that providing an assist is as twice difficult as scoring. Therefore having the highest amount of assists in the history of football shows that Messi is unmatched.

17. He has Won the Most Man of the Match Awards in World Cup

Andre Kiwitz, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Every football game played produces an outstanding player on the field during the match. Messi has been voted as the best player on the pitch for a record three hundred and ninety five, and counting. The most surprising fact is that the player in second place is more than two times less than what Messi has achieved. He is simply the best player every time he steps on a football pitch.

18. Messi was the Oldest Player to win a World Cup Golden Ball

Even age would not stop Messi as he became the oldest player in history to win the coveted World Cup Golden Ball at the age of thirty-six years and one hundred and seventy-eight days. This prestigious award, which recognizes the best player of the tournament, proved that, according to Messi, age is just a number. His status as the oldest player to win the World Cup Golden Ball is a remarkable accomplishment that further cements his legacy as an all-time great.

19. He ranks first in Record for World Cup Goal contribution 

Messi ranks first in the record for goal contributions in World Cup, with an astonishing tally of twenty one goals and assists combined. Remembering that a world cup tournament has seven games, and some great players go through the tournament without a goal or assist, Messi has shown that he is build different. He has used every opportunity since his debut at eighteen years old to make a difference on the international stage. He is a legend.

20. He was the UEFA Champions League Top Scorer for Four Years in a Row

Alejandro Ramos, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Lastly, it is right to say that Messi dominated the European football when he was the top scorer for four years in a row from 2008/2009 to 2011/2012 seasons. His sharpness in front of the goals post, taking free kicks and scoring penalties put him at a level of his own. He is a man that makes the game look easy. Topping the chart for four years in a row showcased total dominance and he will be remembered for many years. He is indeed the greatest football player of all time for a reason.

Lionel Messi has etched his name into the history books as arguably the greatest footballer ever. While his career’s sun inevitably sets one day, his superhuman achievements will forever shine as a beacon of excellence. I feel immensely privileged to have witnessed the magic of this peerless legend unfold before my eyes.