Messi: The must-read biography of the World Cup champion, now fully updated (Guillem Balague's Books)

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He began playing from an early age, and his talent was soon apparent. However, at the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). This was a condition that stunted growth and required expensive medical treatment, including the use of the drug Human growth hormone. Fascinating. What an interesting man. (Don’t read the Rooney straight after, or you’ll realise Rooney has no character or interesting elements to him at all). My son loved it and my wife listened to me reading it to him.” In the 2010 World Cup, Messi wore the number 10 shirt and played well to help Argentina reach the quarter-finals, but Messi struggled to score, and Argentina disappointingly lost 4-0 to Germany in the quarter-final. Messi has admitted he is desperate to play in a world cup final. Success for Messi in the World Cup would be the last test of greatness. Pele, by contrast, was part of Brazil’s three times winning World Cup side ’58, ’62 and ’70. Every time I start a year, I start with the objective of trying to achieve everything, without comparing it to how I’ve done in other seasons. Leonardo Faccio does an extremely good job getting the reader into Messi’s head. It is like we can feel his struggle as he goes through his obstacles in life, and when he is happy, we can feel his happiness too. It is very descriptive and gives good in-match detail about some of his more famous games and goals

Lionel Messi with his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, and their three children Ciro, Mateo, and Thiago Getty Images Lionel Messi faced a major problem with reaching his goal of becoming a professional soccer player. At an early age Messi otherwise known as “La Pulga”, small fly, was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. Seen by many as a weakness was later made into a strength by Messi. Not giving up Messi at the age of 13 found himself getting a contract by a professional soccer club called Fc Barcelona. Treating a growth hormone deficiency takes a lot of money which Messi’s parents didn’t have at the time. Looking pass Messi’s disability the club fully paid for the treatment and brought him and his family to Barcelona, Spain to begin their new life. However, Messi returned to international football and led Argentina in the 2018 World Cup. Despite carrying the weight of expectation of a nation, the World Cup was considered a great disappointment. However, in the 2018/19 season, Messi returned to his usual scintillating performance with Barcelona. World Cup 2022 Throughout the book we learn of the many adversities that Messi has faced from childhood, including his growth deficiency, as well as financial and family troubles. Leo recalls his nightly routine of administering hypodermic shots filed with growth hormones, as well as the tremendous pain that occurred in the process. Messi also talks about what his life was like while in the Barcelona academy, and the tremendous amount of pressure that was placed on his shoulders.Lionel Messi was born, 24 June 1987, in Rosario, Argentina to a working-class family. His father was a factory steel worker, and his mother a cleaner. Messi became the first Argentinian player to win the Ballon d’Or. Even the great Maradona gushed about his fellow countryman. “I see him as very similar to me,” the retired player told the BBC. “He’s a leader and is offering lessons in beautiful football. He has something different than any other player in the world.” At last, in 2021 and 2022, Argentina and Messi found enough traction to bring home trophies that had long evaded them. First, the team won the Copa America—Argentina’s first major title in 28 years—in August 2021, besting Brazil in the final. Captain Messi tied for top goal scorer, alongside Colombia’s Luis Diaz, and was named player of the tournament. The next year, greater glory awaited at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Argentina captured the trophy after a thrilling game against France that ended in a penalty shootout. Messi was named the Best FIFA Men’s Player for a second time and broke the record for most World Cup appearances with 26 games. Stats Because Messi was brought up in Spain, since he was 11 years old, he has Spanish nationality. In 2004, he was offered the chance to play for Spain’s Under 20 side, but Messi decided to play for Argentina, the country of his birth. He led Argentina to victory in the 2005 FIFA Youth Championship. Messi made his full international debut in August 2005, during a friendly against Hungary. In his first game, Messi was sent off for allegedly elbowing a player. The decision was contentious and not in keeping with Messi’s style of play which is generally clean and in the spirit of fair play; he has very rarely been accused of diving.

Messi progressed through the ranks and was given his first appearance in the 2004/05 season becoming the youngest player to score a league goal. In 2006, Messi was part of the double winning team which won both La Liga (Spanish League) and Champions League. By next season, (2006-07) aged just 20, Messi was the first choice striker and an essential part of the Barcelona team – scoring 14 goals in 26 league games. In July 2016, Messi suffered a blow off the soccer field when a Barcelona court found him and his father guilty of three counts of tax fraud. During a four-day trial, Messi and his father denied breaking the law and claimed they were unaware of any tax illegalities they had committed. His potential is limitless, and I think he’s got everything it takes to become Argentina’s greatest player.” My grandson loved it. I bought 4 of this series for my footie mad grandson. I had a look and thought these have been written with the average 10-12 year old boy in mind. Written as a story of the ‘hero’s life.”After helping Barcelona achieve a historic second treble in 2015, he was honored with his fifth Ballon d’Or trophy. Four years later, following another La Liga title, Messi again established a new standard for excellence by claiming his sixth Ballon d’Or. I made sacrifices by leaving Argentina, leaving my family to start a new life. I changed my friends, my people. Everything. But everything I did, I did for football, to achieve my dream. Messi embarked on an all-out assault on the record books in 2012. He became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match in early March, and a few weeks later, he surpassed Cesar Rodriguez’s club-record 232 goals to become Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer. By the end of the year, Messi had accumulated an astounding 91 goals in club and international play, eclipsing the 85 netted in a single calendar year by Gerd Muller in 1972. Fittingly, he broke another record when he was named the Ballon d’Or winner for the fourth consecutive time. Lionel Messi added to his already impressive list of soccer accomplishments on October 30, winning the Ballon d’Or as the world’s top male player for a record eighth time. The Argentinian beat out Manchester city striker Erling Haaland for the award.