Messi in childhood: the first steps of the future star

Lionel Messi today is one of the world's best attackers. Millions of fans watch his career and career. Personal life of a low footballer interests even people far from sports. Especially interesting to many Messi in childhood, his first steps to fame.

A family

Lionel was born on June 24, 1987 in the town of Rosario. The Messi family belongs to the working class. My father worked in a factory, and my mother worked as a cleaner. The attacker has two older brothers and a sister. Cousins also play football on a professional level. Part of the ancestors of Messi comes from Italy, and part - from Catalonia.

Messi in his childhood

To play football, the future star began at the age of 5 years. The boy trained his father, who worked as a coach in "Grandolin" - a small amateur team. Little growth in Messi since childhood. In the success of the player on the field especially no one believed, except the grandmother Celia. She took the foolish Lionel to class, believing in his great future. Many goals today he devotes to her.

Messi in his childhood tried not to miss training. He begged his mother to let him go to school until she agreed. Lionel was a shy and modest child, as he was until now. He still does not realize his popularity, quietly walking around his native city during the holidays. He tries to take a picture with everyone and give an autograph.

What had Messi suffered in his childhood

All fans know that Lionel is not tall, but not many know that this is due to illness. So, about everything in order.

It's hard to find such a talented player as Messi. Played as a child, a boy with a kickback, which allowed him at 8 years old to get into the Newells Old Boys, a team that is quite popular in Argentina.

The coach of the club in an interesting way made me play the head of a low Lionel. To do this, he used a chocolate chip cookie, which he liked very much. For each goal scored, he received 1 piece. For the goal scored by the head, the boy was supposed to have two cookies. Messi for the award beat all the defense of the enemy, threw the ball and scored with his head.

At 11 years old, Lionel was diagnosed with a "lack of growth hormone". In order for the boy not to remain a dwarf, treatment was required, which cost about 1 thousand dollars a month. Not every club was ready to pay for treatment even such a promising football player. Father Lionel went around not one football team, but no one wanted to invest in a sick boy.

"Barcelona"

Scouts of the Catalan club began to look closely to Messi. "As a child, he plays football well," they argued, "but a payment for treatment is required." This repelled many clubs, but not "Barcelona". In September 2000, a guy with his father came to watch in Spain. Waiting for the release of the director had to October. Messi's magnificent game impressed Carles Reschak, who persuaded the leadership to pay for the family's relocation, as well as treatment for the boy.

Business in the "Barcelona" in Messi in childhood went well. Already in the first match for the youth team scored poker in the opponent's goal. Brightly asserting himself, he managed to secure a place in the starting lineup. From the field he left almost always with a goal scored. In the debut season he scored 37 goals. In 16 years, Lionel noticed Capello, who coached Juventus. The management of "Barcelona" received an offer to rent the player, but refused. At the age of 17, he already made his debut for the main team of blue-garnet.

The first goal for the club was celebrated in May 2005, scoring at the gates of "Albacenet". This goal made Messi the youngest player in the history of the club, who managed to score in the Spanish championship. The first match in the Champions League was held against Shakhtar Donetsk. By the way, "Barcelona" in that fight lost with a score of 2: 0. In the next season together with the team won the championship of Spain and the Champions League. However, in the finals he could not play due to injury.

Interesting Facts

• The first ball Messi prompted the management to conclude a contract with him until 2014.
• In 2005, he helped the Argentina youth team win the World Cup. Messi also became the most valuable player of the tournament, having received several prestigious awards.
• Debut in the main team he failed. The player was removed from the field three minutes after the starting whistle.
• In 2007, he scored the ball, running 62 meters and defeating 6 opponents. The meeting took place in the framework of the Spanish Cup against Getafe.
• In 2008 I received the 10th number, which before belonged to Ronaldinho.
• After the score, Messi looks at the sky, thus dedicating a goal to his beloved grandmother.