Soccer Facts 

Lionel Messi: Argentina native Lionel Messi has established records for goals scored and won individual awards en route to worldwide recognition as the best player in soccer. 

Born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, soccer player Lionel Messi moved to Spain at the age of 13, after the FC Barcelona club agreed to pay for hormone-deficiency treatments. Messi became a star in his new country, scoring at will while leading his club to championships. In 2012, he set a record for most goals in a calendar year, and afterward was named FIFA's "Player of the Year" a record fourth time.