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Lionel Messi

Professional footballer

Born 1987

Lionel Messi is an Argentine footballer whose low centre of gravity, close control, passing and finishing made him the defining player of his generation. Born in Rosario, he began playing at Grandoli at four and joined Newell's Old Boys at eight. A growth-hormone deficiency required daily injections during childhood; at 13 he moved with his family to Barcelona, where he entered FC Barcelona's academy and endured early registration and injury setbacks before reaching the first team in 2004. Ronaldinho supplied the pass for his first senior goal, the start of a 17-season Barcelona career in which Messi became the club's record scorer and won 34 team trophies, including ten LaLiga titles, seven Copas del Rey and four UEFA Champions Leagues. His game developed from an explosive wide forward into a prolific scorer, creator and captain. After two Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain, he joined Inter Miami in 2023 and led the club to the Leagues Cup, Supporters' Shield, MLS Cup and 2026 Campeones Cup. Internationally, Messi won the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Olympic gold, the 2021 and 2024 Copa América titles, the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He retired from Argentina duty after captaining the team to the 2026 World Cup final and continues to play for Inter Miami under a contract through 2028.

Verified identityCore facts checked against named sources.

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Connected people

ConnectionAntonela RoccuzzoWife and childhood connection from Rosario; they raise three sons together.

ConnectionLuis SuárezLongtime Barcelona teammate who reunited with Messi at Inter Miami.

ConnectionSergio BusquetsShared Barcelona's most successful era and later joined Messi at Inter Miami.

Lifestyle index · sourced and contextualised

Trivia & tastes

Not located in the reviewed sources

Exact-title and edition searches for Lionel Messi through 2026-09-25 found only generic family reading, an unnamed Maradona biography and a childhood Bible answer; none supports a truthful catalog edition or cover.

Evidence review current to 2026-09-25Not verified

Uses music to quiet his mind and stay calm before matches

Messi introduced an official Apple Music warm-up playlist spanning Latin pop, rock, reggae and Argentine cumbia.

Recorded with an attributable source

Milanesa a la napolitana

Messi's direct answer in a 2017 rapid-fire interview.

Recorded with an attributable source

A daily supplemental plan with Rodrigo De Paul for two to three months beyond club training

De Paul described this as preparation for the 2026 World Cup, not Messi's permanent workout routine.

Reported by a named source

Health-focused meals, no alcohol or smoking, and an effort to choose organic food

Attributed to Antonela Roccuzzo's 2026 description of their household and Messi's professional requirements; not medical advice or a detailed meal plan.

Reported by a named source

Not located in the reviewed sources

Searches through 2026-09-25 found grooming coverage and Antonela Roccuzzo's routine, but no attributable personal skincare routine for Lionel Messi.

Evidence review current to 2026-09-25Not verified

Not located in the reviewed sources

Searches through 2026-09-25 found a signature-fragrance campaign and unsupported favorite-cologne claims, but no reliable evidence of Lionel Messi's personal fragrance use.

Evidence review current to 2026-09-25Not verified

A dog named Hulk

Messi's official channel documented him playing with Hulk in 2018; this does not assert current pet status.

Recorded with an attributable source

Trivia & tastes

Books

Music

Food

Training

Diet

Skincare

Fragrances

Pets