Possibly the best football player to ever play the game is Lionel Messi. The young magician, whose career ranks among the most illustrious and decorated of all time, has now added an international trophy to his collection after helping Argentina win Copa America 2021.
The 34-year-old is the first player in football history to have won seven Ballon d’Or trophies, and he has already broken a number of illustrious records in his illustrious career.
You can learn a few interesting facts about the small Argentine from this post. Here are five intriguing details about Lionel Messi that you probably didn’t know.
1. The footballing history that was changed by a piece of paper
With his goal-scoring prowess, Messi has changed the majority of football’s record books, but it all began when Barcelona’s technical secretary Carles Rexach was enthralled by the talent of the then 13-year-old.
Due to the lack of a contract at the time, Rexach opted to seal the transaction on the nearest piece of paper, in this case, a paper napkin, because he was so mesmerized by what he had witnessed.
The paper napkin, which symbolizes a new period in FC Barcelona’s history, has been preserved for all time in a frame.
2. Messi or Mecci: Lionel Messi?
Although Messi established himself on the Spanish coast, his fame spread to Argentina, his own country, across the Atlantic.
He was Barcelona’s favorite child, yet he was a newcomer nonetheless. The tiny genius, who would later become beloved in both Argentina and Spain, wasn’t known to everyone.
3. Unholy beginnings for the heavenly one!
The Argentine Football Association first called Messi up for the Under-20s without knowing his identity. He was the only footballer at the time to work outside of Argentina. When the military eventually called him, it was directed to a “Leonel Mecci.”
At the age of 18, Lionel Messi made his international debut for Argentina on August 17, 2005, replacing Lisandro Lopez in the 63rd minute of a friendly match against Hungary. It should have been the day that started Messi’s romantic relationship with La Albiceleste, but it wasn’t to be.
Messi entered the game for barely 43 seconds, but as soon as he did, he was in possession of the ball. He started one of his signatures runs in an effort to make a strong first impression.
4. Invented a word for the dictionary
Words are useless when attempting to capture Lionel Messi’s brilliance; in fact, dictionaries struggle to keep up with the young virtuoso.
Santillana, a Spanish dictionary, added the adjective “Inmessionate” to its books in February 2013.
5. The actual reason he is pictured alone to the side in every team photo
Even the greatest among us are mortal, and despite Messi’s incredible football abilities, he still has certain human traits. Every team photo features the tiny Argentine in the left-hand corner, standing arm in arm-with his countrymen but adopting a slightly different position.
The latent inferiority mentality that the former Barcelona great experienced in his early years is what’s to blame for that. He was still the most talented of his colleagues at the moment, but he had not yet taken the footballing world by storm.
Messi may avoid bending his knees by standing alone on one end of the frame, giving the impression that he is taller than his teammates, who must also bend their knees to get the ideal shot.
Things like this serve as a gentle reminder that no matter how talented Messi is, he is still only a mortal.