HAPPY BIRTHDAY LION KING! (MESSILESS MESSI)

 Despite a growth hormone deficiency suffered as a child, the Argentina and Barcelona superstar, Lionel Messi clocks 25 years today having achieved so much in his on-going career...

25 years ago in Rosario, Santa Fe Province in Argentina, a star was born!
Named Lionel Andrés Messi, the petit child was born to parents Jorge Horácio Messi, a factory steel worker, and Celia María Cuccittini, a part-time cleaner. His paternal family originates from the Italian city of Ancona, from which his ancestor, Angelo Messi, emigrated to Argentina in 1883. The child has two older brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, and a sister, María Sol.

At the age of five, Messi started playing football for Grandoli, a local club coached by his father Jorge. In 1995, Messi switched to Newell's Old Boys who were based in his home city Rosario. At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. Local powerhouse River Plate showed interest in Messi's progress, but did not have enough money to pay for treatment for his condition, which cost $900 a month. Carles Rexach, the sporting director of FC Barcelona, had been made aware of his talent as Messi had relatives in Lleida and Messi and his father were able to arrange a trial with the team. Rexach, with no other paper at hand, offered Messi a contract written on a paper napkin. Barcelona offered to pay for Messi's medical bills if he was willing to move to Spain. Messi and his father moved to Barcelona where Messi enrolled in the club's youth academy.

That was the beginning of the amazing story of the Messi, which is still unfolding.
He hardly looks like one of the most gifted and highest-paid athletes on the planet. He doesn’t have LeBron James’ superhero build or David Beckham’s GQ style. Messi is 5-7 (in cleats), sports boyish floppy hair, and is remarkably unassuming for a man with a $43.5 million annual income, an estimated $110 million net worth, and an endorsement portfolio that includes adidas, Pepsi, Herbalife, EA Sports and Dolce & Gabbana.
But put that diminutive guy they call La Pulga (“the flea”) on a soccer field, drop a ball in front of him, and he becomes larger than life. He becomes the Lion King!

As the football wonderkid turned king celebrates his 25th birthday, here is a glimpse of what Messi have achieved which explains why he is regarded as the current best footballer in the world.

HONOURS WITH CLUB, BARCELONA
La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12; Runner-up 2010–11
Supercopa: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011
UCL: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11
UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011; Runner-up 2006
FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011

HONOURS WITH COUNTRY, ARGENTINA
Olympic Gold Medal: 2008
FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005
Copa América: Runner-up 2007
U-20 South American Championship: Third 2005

INDIVIDUAL HONOURS
2 FIFA Ballon d'Or: 2010, 2011
1 Ballon d'Or: 2009
1 FIFA World Player of the Year: 2009
2 World Soccer Player of the Year: 2009, 2011
3 World Soccer Young Player of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2008

5 ESM Team of the Year: 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
2 European Golden Shoe: 2010, 2012
2 La Liga top goalscorer: 2010, 2012
1 Copa del Rey top goalscorer: 2011
3 La Liga Player of the Year: 2009, 2010, 2011
3 LFP Best Player: 2009, 2010, 2011
3 LFP Best Forward: 2009, 2010, 2011
3 La Liga Foreign Player of the Year: 2007, 2009, 2010
5 La Liga Ibero-American Player of the Year: 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
4 UEFA CL top goalscorer: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
1 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award: 2011
1 UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2009
1 UEFA CL Forward of the Year: 2009
1 UCL Final Man of the Match: 2011
4 UEFA Team of the Year: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
3 Onze d'Or: 2009, 2010, 2011
1 Bravo Award: 2007
1 Tuttosport Golden Boy: 2005
2 FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2009, 2011
1 FIFA U-20 World Cup Player of the Tournament: 2005
1 FIFA U-20 World Cup top goalscorer: 2005
1 Copa América Young Player of the Tournament: 2007
3 FIFPro World Young Player of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2008
5 FIFA/FIFPro World XI: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

1 Sportsperson of the Year of Argentina: 2011
6 Footballer of the Year of Argentina: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
1 Male Best Athlete in Latin America: 2011
1 Marca Leyenda: 2009
1 L'Équipe Champion of Champions: 2011
1 World's Top Goal Scorer of the Year: 2011

RECORDS
* Most goals scored in a season in all competitions: 73 goals
* Most goals scored in a single league season: 50 goals
* Most goals scored in a single UEFA Champions League season: 14 goals
* Most La Liga hat-tricks in a season: 8 hat-tricks
* Most UEFA Champions League hat-tricks: 3 hat-tricks
* Only player to score 2 hat-trick in a Champions League season
* Highest scorer in a single UEFA Champions League game: 5 goals
* Most UEFA Champions League top scorer award: 4 awards
* The only player to receive the UEFA Champions League top scorer award 4 years in a row
* Most La Liga home goals in a season: 35 goals
* Most consecutive league matches scored in: 10 matches
* Youngest player to score 150 league goals: 24 years and 270 days
* Most goals scored in the Supercopa de España: 8 goals
* Most goals scored in FIFA Club World Cup: 4 goals
* Fastest Barcelona hat-trick: completed in 17th minutes
* Barcelona Record Goalscorer: 253 goals
* Barcelona Record Goalscorer in UEFA Champions League: 51 goals
* Barcelona Record Goalscorer in European Competitions: 52 goals

* Barcelona Record Goalscorer in international Competitions: 56 goals