Lionel Andres Messi

Her name is Lionel Andres Messi and he was born on 24 June 1987 south of Rosario, in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. He play as a right forward for FC Barcelona  and for the Argentinian National Team. They call  Leo, Lio or La Pulga, but the one he is most used to is Leo.

His family say  that from a very early age, when he was learning to walk, he had a passion for the ball.

When he was 8, he had to do special treatment in order to have a normal rate of growth. Every night he would sit on his bed and have injections in his legs. He wanted to become a footballer so much. The problem was that the treatment was very expensive and they haven't got so much money. In the end,  the solution would be in Spain, where some of their relatives live. Their Dad was offered a job and, at the same time, it was his oportunity to try to enter in  Barca.

The trials went well and he had  the opportunity to play in Barcelona.