Lionel Andr�s Messi (IPA-esljo?nel an?d?es ?mesi; born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine (Argentina) footballer (Association football) who currently plays for Barcelona (FC Barcelona) and the Argentine national team (Argentina national football team). Considered as one of the best football players of his generation and frequently cited as the worlds best contemporary player, Messi received several Ballon dOr and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21 and won both by the age of 22. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi his "successor."

Lionel Messi began playing football at a young age and his potential was quickly identified by Barcelona. He left Rosario-based Newells Old Boyss youth team in 2000 and moved with his family to Europe, as Barcelona offered treatment for his growth hormone deficiency. Making his debut in the 2004–05 season (2004-05 La Liga), he broke the La Liga record (Football records in Spain) for the youngest footballer to play a league game, and also the youngest to score a league goal. Major honours soon followed as Barcelona won La Liga in Messis debut season, and won a double (The Double) of the league and Champions League (UEFA Champions League 2004-05) in 2006. His breakthrough season was in 2006–07; he became a first team regular, scoring a hat-trick (Hat-trick#Soccer .28European and Latin American Football.29) in El Cl�sico and finishing with 14 goals in 26 league games. Perhaps his most successful season was the 2008–09 season (2008-09 La Liga), in which Messi scored 38 goals to play an integral part in a treble (The treble)-winning campaign.

Messi was the top scorer of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship with six goals, including two in the final game. Shortly thereafter, he became an established member of Argentinas senior international team. In 2006, he became the youngest Argentine to play in the FIFA World Cup and he won a runners-up medal at the Copa Am�rica (2007 Copa Am�rica) tournament the following year. In 2008 (Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics), in Beijing, he won his first international honour, an Olympic (Olympic Games) gold medal, with the Argentina Olympic football team.