Betinho: All you need to know about little-known Portuguese striker who has appeared on Manchester United squad list

December 18 will go down in history as a huge moment in the world of football as Argentina came out victorious in the intensely fought final in what could possibly be the last World Cup for Lionel Messi.

Born on June, 24, 1987 into a middle class family, Messi developed a love for football at an early age and started showing amazing skills just when he was 5. At that time, he was being coached at a local club by his father.

While it was clear that Messi was the one dominating the field with his footwork, nobody could ignore the fact that he was also the smallest among his peers.

At the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency and had to undergo medical treatment. However, his family couldn’t afford the treatment for long, so he had to stop taking the treatment after three years.

But when Messi was 13, he received an offer from FC Barcelona. The club was willing to pay his medical bills on one condition: he had to play for them. So with no money or job, Messi’s family moved to Spain from Central Argentina

Messi debuted for the club at the age of 17 in October 2004. Within three years, Messi emerged as an integral player of FC Barcelona. At the age of 22, the footballer won his first Ballon d'Or.

After three successful seasons, he became the first player to bag the prestigious award four times in a row. As of now, the footballer holds a record seven Ballon d'Or awards.

In the 2005 FIFA World Cup, Messi was given the FIFA World Youth Championship, finishing the championship with both the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe. He bagged an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Before joining the Paris Saint-Germain FC following his heartbreaking exit in 2021, Messi has played for Barcelona his entire professional career where he won a club-record 35 trophies, including 4 UEFA Champions Leagues, 10 La Liga titles and 7 Copa del Rey.