Lionel Messi

Life and work

The story behind the role.

World Cup-winning footballer recognised for elite playmaking, scoring and sustained club success.

Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for the Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, which he captains, and the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, he has set numerous records for individual accolades won throughout his professional footballing career, including eight Ballons d'Or, six European Golden Shoes, and being named the world's best player by FIFA eight times. He was named the All Time Men's World Best Player by the IFFHS in 2025. In 2020 and 2023 he was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, becoming the first team-sport athlete to win the award. He was among Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2011, 2012, and 2023. Messi is the most decorated player in the history of professional football, having won 46 team trophies across more than 1,150 career appearances. His records include most goals in a calendar year (91), most assists in the FIFA World Cup (12), and most assists in international football (65). He has scored over 930 senior career goals and provided over 420 assists for club and country, making him the second-highest goalscorer and the highest assist provider in the history of football. Messi was ranked as the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2019 and 2022. In 2020, he became the second footballer and second team-sport athlete to surpass $1 billion in career earnings. In 2026, he appeared on Forbes' The World's Billionaires list with a net worth of $1.1 billion. In 2004, Messi made his competitive debut for La Liga club Barcelona at age 17 and soon emerged as one of the most talented young players in the world, being awarded the FIFPRO Young Player of the Year three times in a row from 2006 to 2008. Du…

Messi is the all-time leading goalscorer (125) and most-capped player (207) of the Argentina national team. Several years after his senior debut in 2005, he won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Assuming captaincy in 2011, he led Argentina to the finals of the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 Copa América, and the Copa América Centenario, all of which they lost. He subsequently announced his retirement from international football in 2016, though returned soon after. Messi led Argentina to victory at the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 World Cup, and became the first player to win the World Cup Golden Ball twice. He claimed his third major international title when Argentina won the 2024 Copa América. At the 2026 World Cup, Messi led his country to a second consecutive World Cup final, winning his second consecutive Silver Boot and the Silver Ball.

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