Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is an Argentine forward who, as of October 2026, captains Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. At ten he was found to have a growth hormone deficiency, and the treatment was costly. His family, who had relatives in Catalonia, set up a trial with Barcelona when he was 13, and Carles Rexach, keen to sign him, scribbled a contract on a paper napkin. As a teenager he was weaker than older opponents and had to build muscle, yet after watching him train with the first team, winger Ludovic Giuly said "He was an alien." His build explains a lot. Short and low to the ground, he turns sharply, rides tackles and stays balanced; Spanish media called him the Atomic Flea. He is stronger in the upper body than he looks and is known for staying on his feet instead of diving. The acceleration comes in short bursts and the ball rarely leaves him. Pep Guardiola said "Messi is the only player that runs faster with the ball than he does without it," while Diego Maradona said "I've never seen anyone with Messi's ball control." He is mainly left-footed, though his right foot improved from his mid-20s. Frank Rijkaard moved him to the right wing so he could cut inside and curl shots with his left. Under Guardiola he became a false nine, drifting into midfield, pulling defenders with him and combining with Xavi and Iniesta. His positioning, quick reactions and timed runs behind the back line made him prolific: 73 goals in all competitions in 2011–12, then 91 for club and country across 2012. He is also known for accurate free kicks and a fondness for chips. The flip side was Messidependencia, the fear that Barcelona leaned on him too heavily. Age changed his game. The long solo runs became rarer, and he began to run matches from deeper, growing into one of the best passers the sport has seen. He covers less ground now and saves energy for short sprints, which, with a stricter diet and sleep routine, cut down the injuries of his early years. After a quiet first season at Paris Saint-Germain, he led Ligue 1 in assists in his second. At Inter Miami he won back-to-back MVP awards, lifted the 2025 MLS Cup and overtook Ferenc Puskás as football's all-time assist leader. With Argentina it took longer. He lost three straight finals from 2014 to 2016 and briefly quit, and Maradona among others doubted his reserved temperament suited a captain. Pundits saw him grow more vocal with teammates in 2019. Then came the 2021 Copa América, two goals in the 2022 World Cup final against France and a record second Golden Ball, and another Copa América in 2024. In 2026 he set a World Cup assists record and reached a second straight final, lost to Spain in extra time.