📸 Lionel Messi, Argentina footballer: Photo Gallery (Photo: 10)

Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains the Major League Soccer club Inter Miami. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, he played for the Argentina national team for 21 years, retiring in 2026. He has set numerous records for individual accolades won throughout his professional footballing career, including eight Ballons d'Or, six European Golden Shoes, and being named the world's best player by FIFA eight times. He was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in 2020 and 2023, and was named the All Time Men's World Best Player by the IFFHS in 2025. He was among Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2011, 2012, and 2023.

Messi is the most decorated player in the history of professional football, having won 47 team trophies across more than 1,150 career appearances. He has scored over 930 senior career goals and provided over 420 assists for club and country, making him the second-highest goalscorer and the highest assist provider in the history of football. He was ranked as the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2019 and 2022. In 2020, he became the second footballer to surpass $1 billion in career earnings.

In 2004, Messi made his competitive debut for the La Liga club Barcelona at age 17. He was awarded the FIFPRO Young Player of the Year in 2006, 2007 and 2008. During the 2008–09 season, he helped Barcelona achieve the first treble in Spanish football, earning him the first of four consecutive Ballons d'Or. By the 2011–12 season he had set the European record for most goals in a season and was Barcelona's all-time top scorer. During the 2014–15 season, Messi formed the successful attacking trio MSN with Luis Suárez and Neymar, helping Barcelona achieve a historic second treble and subsequently earning his fifth Ballon d'Or.

Messi was named Barcelona's captain in 2018. While playing for the club, he won a club-record 34 trophies, including 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues. With Barcelona, he set records for most goals for a single club (672) and most goals in La Liga (474). Financial difficulties at Barcelona forced Messi to depart in 2021 and sign with Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain, where he won the Ligue 1 title twice. He joined the MLS club Inter Miami in 2023 and led them to their first MLS Cup victory in 2025, while also winning the league MVP award in 2024 and 2025. Following his arrival and impact on football in the United States, Messi was named Time's Athlete of the Year in 2023 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by US president Joe Biden in 2025.



Messi is the all-time leading goalscorer (126) and most-capped player (208) of the Argentina national team. Several years after his senior debut in 2005, he won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Assuming captaincy in 2011, he led Argentina to the finals of the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 Copa América, and the 2016 Copa América Centenario, all of which they lost. He subsequently announced his retirement from international football, but returned soon after. Messi led Argentina to victory at the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 World Cup, (where he became the first player to win the World Cup Golden Ball twice) and the 2024 Copa América. He led Argentina to their second consecutive World Cup final at the 2026 World Cup, where he won the Silver Ball and his second consecutive Silver Boot. Messi retired from international football on 6 October 2026.