Lionel Andrés Messi (born 24 June 1987 in Rosario) is an Argentine international football player who played for FC Barcelona in the Primera División, and appears on Argentina's national team. Often touted in the media as the New Maradona, Messi has been publicly named as his "successor" by Diego Maradona himself.

He is regarded as the best football player of his generation and one of the best in the history of the sport. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010.

Video: Best of Lionel Messi.

 Lionel Messi was born in Santa Fe Province on 24 June 1987. At the age of five, he started playing football for Grandly, a club coached by his father. In 1995, Messi switched to Newell's Old Boys. At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency.

 River Plate showed interest in Messi's progress, but did not have enough money to pay for the treatment of the illness, which cost over, £500 a month. As Argentina's economy was collapsing, Carlos Reach, then sporting director of FC Barcelona, was made aware of Messi's talent, and Barcelona signed him after watching him play, offering to pay for the medical bills if he was willing to move to start a new life in Spain. His family moved with the young player to Europe, and he starred in the club’s youth teams.

 He soon found himself starting for the Barcelona B team, averaging more than a goal per game, by scoring 35 goals in 30 matches.

 In October 2004, Messi made his official debut for the first team against RCD,  becoming the third-youngest player ever to play for FC Barcelona. When he scored his first senior goal for the club against Albacete Balmier on May 1, 2005, Messi was 17 years, 10 months and 7 days old, becoming the youngest to ever score in   FC Barcelona.

  River Plate showed interest in Messi's progress, but did not have enough money to pay for the treatment of the illness, which cost over, £500 a month. As Argentina's economy was collapsing, Carlos Reach, then sporting director of FC Barcelona, was made aware of Messi's talent, and Barcelona signed him after watching him play, offering to pay for the medical bills if he was willing to move to start a new life in Spain. His family moved with the young player to Europe, and he starred in the club’s youth teams.

 He soon found himself starting for the Barcelona B team, averaging more than a goal per game, by scoring 35 goals in 30 matches.

 In October 2004, Messi made his official debut for the first team against RCD,  becoming the third-youngest player ever to play for FC Barcelona. When he scored his first senior goal for the club against Albacete Balmier on May 1, 2005, Messi was 17 years, 10 months and 7 days old, becoming the youngest to ever score in   FC Barcelona.