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Date of birth
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Messi was recruited to join the youth system of Newell's Old Boys, a Rosario-based club.
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Argentina, soccer player Lionel Messi moved to Spain
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Messi was offered the chance to train at soccer powerhouse FC Barcelona's youth academy
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FC Barcelona club agreed to pay for hormone-deficiency treatments
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Messi had made his first appearance for Barcelona
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Messi put himself in the record books as the youngest player to ever score a goal for the franchise.
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Messi led Argentina to the title in the under-20 World Cup, scoring on a pair of penalty kicks to propel the team over Nigeria.
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Messi formed the Leo Messi Foundation to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youths.
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When the left-footer's team captured the Champions League, La Liga, and Spanish Super Cup titles
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After two consecutive runner-up finishes, he took home his first FIFA "World Player of the Year" honor/Ballon d'Or award.
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UNICEF named him a goodwill ambassador, with a focus on fighting for children's rights across the globe.
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Amazingly, the diminutive soccer wizard continued to improve, discovering new ways to elude defenders while leading Barcelona to La Liga and Spanish Super Cup championships as well as the '11 Champions League title.
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Amazingly, the diminutive soccer wizard continued to improve, discovering new ways to elude defenders while leading Barcelona to La Liga and Spanish Super Cup championships as well as the '11 Champions League title.
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Messi became a father when his girlfriend, Antonella Roccuzzo, gave birth to a son, Thiago.
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Messi embarked on an all-out assault on the record books
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Messi had accumulated an astounding 91 goals in club and international play, eclipsing the 85 netted in a single calendar year by Gerd Muller in 1972.
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He set a record for most goals in a calendar year
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He broke another record when he was named the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner for the fourth time
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He became the all-time leading scorer in La Liga and Champions League
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Messi was named player of the tournament, although his team lost to Germany after he led "La Albiceleste" to the final in the world cup.
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Messi’s second son, Mateo, was born.
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After helping Barcelona achieve a historic second treble Messi was honored with his fifth FIFA Ballon d'Or trophy.
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After the loss to Chile, Messi suffered a blow off the soccer field when a Barcelona court found him and his father guilty of three counts of tax fraud.
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Following Argentina's second consecutive loss to Chile in the final of the Copa America tournament, Messi announced he was ending his run with the national team.
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After the loss to Chile, Messi suffered a blow off the soccer field when a Barcelona court found him and his father guilty of three counts of tax fraud.