Barcelona, La Liga, and Argentina’s national team all shared a warm birthday tribute to Lionel Messi as the football icon turns 37.
Born in Rosario on June 24, 1987, Messi clocked 37 today, June 24, 2024, and coincidentally, the midfield sensation is celebrating the ripe age still in the theatres of football. Messi’s 37th birthday met the Barcelona legend on the football field in the USA in the 48th edition of Copa America.
Regarded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest footballer of all time, Messi finally crowned his heroic football career at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar in 2022, leading Argentina to their third World Cup trophy and his first after five World Cup tournaments.
The 2022 World Cup triumph heralded a career milestone in Messi’s footballing journey, capping what has been a legendary and unprecedented career trail in club and international football
A larger swath of Messi’s heroic exploit in football was covered in club football, specifically while he was at Barcelona. However, his blueprints were also felt at depth in international football with Argentina.
Lionel Messi in Argentina
Lionel Messi rose through the ranks in the various levels of Argentina national team before cementing his place in the senior team. He first played for Argentina U20 from 2004 to 2005, making 18 appearances and scoring 14 goals. He was part of the Argentina U20 side that won the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2005. In 2008, he transitioned to Argentina U23, making 5 appearances, scoring 4 goals. He won the Olympic Gold Medal with the team in 2008. Meanwhile, he had made his national team debut as early as 2005.
With the Albiceleste, Messi won Copa America in 2022, CONMEBOL – UEFA Cup of Champions in 2022 and then the most coveted trophy of all – the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He has won 183 caps for the team, scoring 108 goals.
Messi is the first Argentina international to win Argentina Player of The Year seven times in a row and five times in a row. He has clinched the award 15 times – the most a footballer has won the award.
Lionel Messi in Barcelona and La Liga
Much of all that Messi accomplished in his staggering football career was at Barcelona. Messi joined Barcelona Academy – La Masia – from Newell’s Old Boys in 2000. He joined Barcelona C in 2003 and scored 5 goals in 10 appearances. In 2004, he moved up the ranks again, joining Barcelona B. At Barcelona B, he made 22 league appearances, scoring 6 goals.
Between 2004 and 2005, Messi’s career was juggled between the Barcelona reserve team and Barcelona’s first team until he finally cemented his place in the first team in 2005. The Argentina footballing icon would go on to register an astonishing 520 league appearances, scoring 474 La Liga goals. He won 10 La Liga titles, 7 Copa Del Rey, 7 Supercopa de Espana, 4 Champions League, 3 UEFA Super Cup, and 3 FIFA Club World Titles.
His heroics for Barcelona saw the Inter Miami forward become the first player to win La Liga Best Player of The Season five times in a row. He would go on to win the award nine times. He also won La Liga Golden Boot 8 times.
Lionel Messi at PSG and Inter Miami
After his Barcelona spell, Messi moved to PSG in French Ligue 1 in 2021, signing a two-year contract. His spell with the Ligue 1 outfit paled into insignificance compared to his legendary stint with Barcelona. He made 75 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 32 goals to win 2 Ligue 1 titles and one Trophee des Champions.
Lionel Messi at Inter Miami
Messi left PSG after his two-year contract expired and made a groundbreaking transfer move to Inter Miami in the MLS – an elite soccer division in the United States. He has made 29 appearances for the club, scoring 25 goals and has already clinched his first silverware – Leagues Cup trophy – with the club in 2023.
Lionel Messi Ballon d’Or record
Messi’s career has been festooned with laurels. His most outstanding individual record, yet to be matched by any other footballer, is the Ballon d’Or award. Messi rewrote the history of the award when he won it for a record-extending eighth time in 2023. The Barcelona legend won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 at the age of 22 and has gone on to ace the coveted football award more than other player since the inception of the award.
