Lionel Andrés Messi (Rosario, Argentina, June 24, 1987), also known as Leo Messi is an Argentine footballer who also holds Spanish nationality since 2005. Plays as a striker for FC Barcelona in the Primera Division in Spain and the Argentina national football team, which is also captain.
Since 2009 is considered by many sporting bodies, by several players, for many legendary former players, coaches, and the media in general as "the best player in the world today" and for some athletes, players and coaches the best ever. On Thursday January 24, 2013 the President of FIFA, Sepp Blatter, also highlighted the best in the world.
He received the award for Best Player of the World Cup and the Golden Ball in 2009. It is also the first winner of the FIFA Ballon that encompasses both awards since 2010, returning to win the 2011 and 2012 editions. By obtaining the fourth consecutive Golden Ball, Messi managed to surpass the record of Michel Platini and in turn obtaining fourth consecutive recognition as the best player in the world by FIFA, a milestone that also exceed those achieved in the past and alternately three times by Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane. For his skill and playing style have compared with Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi as his "successor". Messi has broken several records with FC Barcelona, as is the top scorer in the club's history, the eighth top scorer in the First Division of Spain and the foreign player with most appearances for the club blaugrana.
