Lionel Andres Messi was born June 24 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. Throughout his childhood, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, and the treatment cost about $1,000 a month. FC Barcelona, instantly recognizing the abundant talent of the Argentinian youngster, didn't hesitate to sign Messi and pay for his treatment. At the age of 13, Messi relocated to Barcelona. When Messi was 16, Ronaldinho, at the time the star of Barcelona, told his teammates that Messi would become an even better player than himself. At the age of 17, Messi became the youngest Barcelona player to debut professionaly. With Barcelona, Messi has scored over 500 goals and won the following trophies: 5 times Spanish Cup Winner, 7 times Spanish Super Cup Winner, 3 times FIFA Club World Cup Winner, 1 time Under 20 World Cup Champion, 3 times UEFA Super Cup Winner, 8 times Spanish Champion, 4 times Champions League Winner, 3 times Best Player in Europe, 5 times FIFA Golden Ball winner. Messi is the historic goal scorer for Argentina, passing the prior top scorer Batistuta. In 2018, Messi will attempt to bring the World Cup title home to Argentina.
