Football King Lionel Messi Turns 39 Today: 12 Fascinating Facts About the Argentine Legend
New York: As the FIFA World Cup continues, Lionel Messi is once again showcasing his brilliance on football’s biggest stage. With five goals so far, Messi has helped defending champions Argentina secure a place in the knockout rounds and is determined to lead his country to another trophy in what could be his final World Cup appearance. Amid this exciting campaign, the “Football King” celebrates his 39th birthday today.
Messi, who set a world record on Monday by becoming the first player to feature in six FIFA World Cup tournaments, is also the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history with 18 goals. Widely regarded as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time), Messi is receiving birthday wishes from fans across the globe.
Born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, Messi’s birthday is being celebrated by his Argentina teammates, the Argentine Football Association, and football fans throughout the country.
Here are 12 lesser-known facts about Lionel Messi:
(1) Messi made his international debut for Argentina in 2005. However, his first appearance lasted only 47 seconds. Brought on as a substitute, he received a red card almost immediately following a foul and was sent off. Since then, he has gone on to score 122 goals in 201 appearances for Argentina.
(2) In 2021, Messi left Barcelona and joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). After his arrival on August 11, PSG’s Instagram following surged from 38.8 million to 46 million in just two days, highlighting his enormous global influence.
(3) Messi signed his first senior professional football contract at the age of 18 in a deal reportedly worth around ₹16 billion.
(4) Through the Leo Messi Foundation, he supports educational, healthcare, and welfare initiatives for children in several countries around the world.
(5) After being in a long-term relationship with Antonela Roccuzzo, Messi married his childhood sweetheart in 2017. He has known Antonela since he was five years old.
(6) Messi and Antonela have three sons: Thiago Messi, Ciro Messi, and Mateo Messi.
(7) As a child, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. After joining Barcelona’s youth system, the club agreed to cover the cost of his medical treatment, which played a crucial role in his development.
(8) The Ballon d’Or is considered football’s most prestigious individual award, and Messi holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or titles.
(9) Messi helped Argentina win the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and later captained the nation to FIFA World Cup glory in 2022.
(10) In 2013, Messi and his father, Jorge Messi, faced allegations in Spain of concealing millions of dollars in income to reduce tax payments between 2007 and 2009. In 2016, a Barcelona court sentenced Messi to 21 months in prison for tax fraud, though the sentence was suspended and replaced with a financial penalty.
(11) During the 2019 Copa America, Messi accused South American football authorities of favouring Brazil and alleged corruption within the competition. As a result, he received a three-month suspension from international football and was fined $50,000.
(12) In May 2022, Messi contracted COVID-19. After recovering from the illness, he went on to lead Argentina to FIFA World Cup triumph later that year, completing one of the greatest achievements of his career.
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