Lionel Messi’s Life Story: The Smallest Boy With The Biggest Dreams

Lionel Messi is a well-known name even to those with no interest in sports. Even though he is shorter than most of his teammates, he rises above his opponents with adept skill and a legendary ability to score goals for his team.

Since his childhood, Lionel Messi, who was nicknamed “Leo”, dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. But his ambition seemed blown out of proportion when considering his physical limitations and financial restrictions. No one could have predicted that after 17 years and 114 days of non-stop faith and dedication, the Argentinian footballer would be playing for his national team and FC Barcelona.Training since childhood
Lionel Andrés Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in the warm city of Rosario, Argentina. He was the third child in a tight-knit, hard-working family who fervently loved football.

Naturally, young Leo developed a passion for football himself. His two older brothers and cousins would constantly go out to play, and as soon as he was able, Leo tagged along. But the rest of the boys were much older than Leo, and were hesitant to let him join in.His grandmother, who always went with him, insisted they allow him to play too. After watching Leo take his first football steps, she later convinced Leo’s mother to buy his first pair of cleats.At four years old, Leo joined the Grandoli local club, where he was coached by his father. His grandmother watched him almost every day as he dutifully trained to develop his skills. When he was eight, Leo joined the talented Newell Old Boys, another Rosario-based club that he had always looked up to.

Football soon became as important as the air he breathed. Messi practiced day in and day out, skipping outings with his friends to train at home before a game. The sport made him inexplicably happy and motivated and he began to dream of becoming a professional footballer.
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Lionel Messi’s Life Story: The Smallest Boy With The Biggest Dreams
By Jenny Medeiros - March 8, 2018

Inspired by his family and motivated by his passion, Lionel Messi pushed his boundaries to go from being the “smallest player on the pitch” to one of the greatest athletes of our time.

Training since childhood
Lionel Andrés Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in the warm city of Rosario, Argentina. He was the third child in a tight-knit, hard-working family who fervently loved football.

His grandmother, who always went with him, insisted they allow him to play too. After watching Leo take his first football steps, she later convinced Leo’s mother to buy his first pair of cleats.

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At four years old, Leo joined the Grandoli local club, where he was coached by his father. His grandmother watched him almost every day as he dutifully trained to develop his skills. When he was eight, Leo joined the talented Newell Old Boys, another Rosario-based club that he had always looked up to.

Diagnosed with an inability to grow
When he was 10, his beloved grandmother passed away. The family was devastated, and her absence affected Messi beyond description. He didn’t touch a football for weeks, but his father nudged him to carry on for the club. He returned, aiming to make his grandmother proud.

Over the following year, Leo played incessantly. But as he grew older, his height remained the same. His concerned parents eventually took their 11-year-old son to a doctor, who broke the news that the boy suffered from a growth hormone deficiency. This meant he was physically unable to grow unless he received special treatment, which would span three years and cost $1,500 per month.

Unable to cover such a costly treatment, Messi’s father was left with no choice but to request financial support from the Newell’s Old Boys club. The coach couldn’t deny the child’s exceptional talent, and accepted to pay for the treatment. They handed over a small sum to his embarrassed father, but that was all he ever received from them.As his father continued to search for a way to cover the treatment, Leo was scouted by the Buenos Aires club River Plate, home of Pablo Aimar. Leo absolutely idolized the dubbed “football genius” and was ecstatic at the offer. However, the club was unwilling to cover Leo’s expenses since Argentina was currently undergoing an economic collapse. He was undeniably crushed, but it wasn’t long before another offer came in, this time from Spain.