Lionel Messi is celebrating his birthday this year by breaking the record for the highest number of goals in FIFA history after his two goals against Austria.
With his family, Messi moved to Barcelona after he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency. The daily injections he had to take were expensive and his family couldn’t afford the treatment. Not long after, his life changed when FC Barcelona offered to pay for his medical bills if he moved to Spain to join their academy, La Masia to train at FC Barcelona’s youth academy.
His talent, combined with his physical characteristics, allowed him to get into higher-level teams in no time after scoring 21 goals in 14 games for the junior team.
At age 16 he started with FC Barcelona in a friendly match, and after that match he started training daily with the team becoming the youngest player in the Spanish La Liga. Then in 2005, he was granted Spanish citizenship by the Catalan supporters of Barcelona. The next year, Messi and Barcelona won the Champions League title.
Leo holds the highest records for both the Ballon d’Or, with 8 wins, and the FIFA World Player of the Year, which he won 3 times. He also holds the record for the most goals in La Liga, the Supercopa de España, the UEFA Super Cup and is the player with the most official recorded assists in football history.
In 2013 Leo and his father were charged with tax fraud for avoiding paying €4.2 million in taxes in Spain, and they were ordered to stand trial on the charges in 2016. Both were given suspended 21-month prison sentences and were fined €2 million and €1.5 million.
In 2007, he formed the Leo Messi Foundation to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youths. Three years after, UNICEF named him a goodwill ambassador for fighting for children’s rights across the globe.
Happiest of birthdays Leo!
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