Facts you don't know about Leo Messi

 Facts you don't know about 

Leo Messi

1. Messi’s father, Jorge, was a steelworker who also coached the local youth football team. 2. Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, which was stopping his normal growth rate at a tender age of 11. His parents couldn’t afford his treatment of $900 per month.

Because his father’s medical insurance could only cover two years of treatment, Messi’s father started looking for alternatives. He was scouted by Buenos Aires club, River Plate, but they couldn’t afford his treatment as well.

Through their relatives in Catalonia, Messi’s family arranged a trial with Barcelona in September 2000. The first team director was so impressed that he sought to sign him immediately. Having no paper at hand, he wrote Messi’s first contract on a paper napkin.

Because he was foreign, Messi wasn’t allowed to participate in the official youth team matches in his first year. 3. Messi was so reserved that his teammates initially thought he was mute.

4. Messi suffered from homesickness after his mother left for Argentina. He stayed with his father in Barcelona. 5. Arsene Wenger claims that after he successfully signed Fabregas, he tried to sign Messi when he was still young.

The deal couldn’t succeed to his regret because Messi wasn’t willing to leave his club. 6. Messi was part of the “Baby Dream Team,” which was Barcelona’s greatest ever youth side.

7. During his first full season with that team (2002-03), Messi was the top scorer with 36 goals in 30 games.

8. Messi was pursued by the Royal Spanish Football Federation to join the Spanish Football Team. Messi declined the offer. To stop further pursuits,

the Argentine Football Association organized two under-20 friendlies just so that they can finalize Messi’s status as an Argentine player in FIFA. 9. In the Copa Catalunya, Messi started on condition that he’ll wear a plastic protector mask to cover his broken cheekbone.

After feeling uncomfortable, Messi took off the mask and scored 2 goals in 10 minutes before getting substituted.

10. Messi made his debut for Barcelona against RCD Espanyol at age He became the third-youngest player to start for Barcelona and the youngest ever to score for the club.

After his first training session, Ronaldinho recognized the greatness of Messi and told his teammates that he’ll be evenh better than himself. He soon befriended Messi and called him his “little brother.”

Messi saved Juveniles A from relegation when he scored five goals in ten games, which includes a hat-trick scored in a Copa Del Rey match while being man-marked by Sevilla’s Sergio Ramos.

11. Messi’s first senior goal was assisted by Ronaldinho.

12. On his 18th birthday, Messi signed his first contract as a senior team player. He had a buy-out clause of €150 million and the contract extended until 2010.

13. After his incredible performance against Juventus, Fabio Capello, the then-Juventus coach, requested to loan Messi.

14.After Capello’s request, Inter Milan made a bid to buy Messi. They were willing to pay his €150 million release clause and triple his wages. According to the then-president Joan Laporta, it was the only time when the club faced a real risk of losing Messi. He stayed at Barca.

15.Because of an injury, Messi was ruled out from the 2006 UEFA Champions League final which Barcelona won against Arsenal in Paris. He was so disappointed that he did not celebrate that Champions League victory, something he later came to regret.

16. In the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Messi became the youngest player to represent Argentina in this competition.

17. In his debut match, Messi became the sixth youngest player to score in FIFA World Cup.

18. On March 10, 2007, Messi scored his first hat-trick in an El-Clasico, the first player to do so in 12 years. His goals equalized those of Real Madrid and the match ended in a 3-3 draw in extra time.

19. Messi replicated two of Maradona’s most famous goals in a span of three weeks. In the Copa Del Rey semi-final, he scored a goal similar to Maradona’s 1986 FIFA World Cup goal which is known as the Goal of the Century. He scored another in a similar fashion to Maradona’s

"Hand of god" goal against Espanyol in a league fixture.

20. At just 20 years old, Messi received the nickname of “Messiah” from the Spanish media after his incredible performances.

21. Upon Ronaldinho’s departure in 2008, Messi was given the iconic number 10 shirt.

22.Initially, Messi was barred by Barcelona from playing in the 2008 Summer Olympics as it coincided with Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League qualifiers. After interference from Pep Guardiola, he was allowed to play. Argentina went on to win the Olympic Gold Medals that year.

Messi has played 895 matches with 719 goals, 302 assists with 1021 goal contribution.

This are the Facts you don't know about Leo Messi

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