Lionel Andrés Messi[note 1] (Spanish pronunciation: [ljoˈnel anˈdɾes ˈmesi]

(listen); born 24 June 1987), is an Argentine expert footballer who performs as a

ahead for Ligue 1 membership Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina country
wide team. Widely appeared as one of the finest gamers of all time, Messi has
gained a file seven Ballon d`Or awards,[note 2] a file six European Golden Shoes,
and in 2020 changed into named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. Until leaving the
membership in 2021, he had spent his complete expert profession with Barcelona,
wherein he gained a membership-file 35 trophies, along with ten La Liga titles,
seven Copa del Rey titles and 4 UEFA Champions Leagues. A prolific goalscorer and
innovative playmaker, Messi holds the information for maximum desires in La Liga
(474), maximum desires in a La Liga and European league season (50), maximum hat-
hints in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions League (8), and maximum assists in La
Liga (192), a La Liga season (21) and the Copa América (17). He additionally holds
the file for maximum worldwide desires with the aid of using a South American male
(90). Messi has scored over 780 senior profession desires for membership and
country, and has the maximum desires with the aid of using a participant for a
unmarried membership.

Born and raised in imperative Argentina, Messi relocated to Spain to sign up for
Barcelona on the age of 13, for whom he made his aggressive debut elderly 17 in
October 2004. He set up himself as an crucial participant for the membership inside
the subsequent 3 years, and in his first uninterrupted season in 2008–09 he helped
Barcelona acquire the primary treble in Spanish football; that year, elderly 22,
Messi gained his first Ballon d'Or. Three a hit seasons followed, with Messi
prevailing 4 consecutive Ballons d'Or, making him the primary participant to win
the award 4 instances and in a row.[10] During the 2011–12 season, he set the La
Liga and European information for maximum desires scored in a unmarried season,
whilst setting up himself as Barcelona's all-time pinnacle scorer. The following
seasons, Messi completed 2nd for the Ballon d'Or at the back of Cristiano Ronaldo
(his perceived profession rival), earlier than regaining his high-quality shape at
some stage in the 2014–15 campaign, turning into the all time pinnacle scorer in La
Liga and main Barcelona to a anciental 2nd treble, and then he changed into
provided a 5th Ballon d'Or in 2015. Messi assumed captaincy of Barcelona in 2018,
and in 2019 he gained a file 6th Ballon d'Or. Out of contract, he signed for Paris
Saint-Germain in August 2021.