Messi: The must-read biography of the World Cup champion, now fully updated (Guillem Balague's Books)

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Throughout the book we learn of the many adversities that Messi has faced from childhood, including his growth deficiency, as well as financial and family troubles. Leo recalls his nightly routine of administering hypodermic shots filed with growth hormones, as well as the tremendous pain that occurred in the process. Messi also talks about what his life was like while in the Barcelona academy, and the tremendous amount of pressure that was placed on his shoulders. For soccer enthusiasts and sports fans in general, an in-depth look at the life of the beautiful game’s greatest star, Argentine footballer Lionel Messi.

Lionel Messi is a legend – Barcelona’s star player and the world’s best footballer. But when was young, he was so small that his friends called him ‘Little Leo’ and coaches worried he wasn’t big enough. Yet through bravery, talent and hard work, he proved them wrong. Messi tells the magical story of how the tiniest boy in South America grew up to become the greatest player on earth.Inter Miami immediately benefitted on and off the field from Messi’s presence. The team went on a 12-match winning streak and captured the Leagues Cup, an annual tournament between teams from the MLS and Liga MX. Messi wound up scoring 11 goals in 14 games with the club. However, with Messi injured late in the season, Inter Miami went winless in seven straight and failed to qualify for the playoffs. Every time I start a year, I start with the objective of trying to achieve everything, without comparing it to how I’ve done in other seasons.

Messi and Roccuzzo have three children together: Thiago, born in November 2012; Mateo, born in September 2015; and Ciro, born in March 2018. My record stood for 40 years – 85 goals in a year – and now the best player in the world has broken it, and I’m delighted for him. He is an incredible player, gigantic.” Recognizably smaller than most of the kids in his age group, Messi was eventually diagnosed by doctors as suffering from a hormone deficiency that restricted his growth. Messi’s parents, Jorge and Ceclia, decided on a regimen of nightly growth-hormone injections for their son, though it soon proved impossible to pay several hundred dollars per month for the medication. After a disappointing first game, when Argentina unexpectedly lost to Saudi Arabia, Lionel Messi was key to firing Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Mexico, with Messi scoring an excellent goal. If Messi has lost something of his speed and top level fitness, he remains just as potent in front of the goal, with the capacity to make match winning contributions. The goal took him to 8 world cup goals, 2nd overall and level with Diego Maradona. In Messi, we learn more about the best soccer player in the world than we would have ever thought. This book made me want to play with him, go to Barça, and go to his hometown and meet all of the people in his life. I want to go there.In the 2010 World Cup, Messi wore the number 10 shirt and played well to help Argentina reach the quarter-finals, but Messi struggled to score, and Argentina disappointingly lost 4-0 to Germany in the quarter-final. Messi has admitted he is desperate to play in a world cup final. Success for Messi in the World Cup would be the last test of greatness. Pele, by contrast, was part of Brazil’s three times winning World Cup side ’58, ’62 and ’70. Lionel Messi is an Argentinian footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of the modern generation. He plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He has won FIFA world player of the year five times (2009–12 and 2015). He has often been described as Diego Maradona’s successor because of his prolific goal scoring record and ability to dribble past opponents. In the 2009-10 season, Messi scored 47 goals in all competitions, equalling Ronaldo’s record total for Barcelona. As the seasons have progressed, Messi kept improving and breaking his own records. In the calendar year of 2012, he broke the all-time world record for most goals scored in a calendar year. His final total of goals in 2012 was 91 – beating the previous record of 85 by German Gerd Muller, and Pele’s milestone of 75 in 1958. At the start of 2013, in club football, Messi has scored 292 goals from a total of 359 appearances, and in international football, 31 goals from 76 appearances.

Because Messi was brought up in Spain, since he was 11 years old, he has Spanish nationality. In 2004, he was offered the chance to play for Spain’s Under 20 side, but Messi decided to play for Argentina, the country of his birth. He led Argentina to victory in the 2005 FIFA Youth Championship. Messi made his full international debut in August 2005, during a friendly against Hungary. In his first game, Messi was sent off for allegedly elbowing a player. The decision was contentious and not in keeping with Messi’s style of play which is generally clean and in the spirit of fair play; he has very rarely been accused of diving. Spanish La Liga title (*10) : 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16 Leonardo Faccio does an extremely good job getting the reader into Messi’s head. It is like we can feel his struggle as he goes through his obstacles in life, and when he is happy, we can feel his happiness too. It is very descriptive and gives good in-match detail about some of his more famous games and goals The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is an opportunity for Messi to make an impact on the highest stage of them all. In the opening game against, Bosnia – Herzegovina, Messi scored a great goal to give Argentina a winning start. He scored four goals to help Argentina reach the World Cup Final. In the final, Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany. Messi was awarded ‘Golden Ball’ player of the tournament, though the decision was not universally supported. After the tournament, Messi replied: This book is amazing. I suggest you read this if your a fan of his, and you get to learn his full experience to growing up and becoming a super star.Bought this for my 11-year-old grand-daughter as she really likes football, but not much of a reader. To be honest her dad read it to her, he said it was good to read about where it all started for Messi.” Messi has his personality and I have mine. He has his game and I have mine. I also play in a big club like him. We are different in every aspect. But right now, he is the best.”