Lionel Messi Bio and Pics 2011

Messi was born in Rosario, Santa Fe, to parents Jorge Horacio Messi, a factory worker, and Celia María Cuccittini, a part-time cleaner.[14][15][16][17] His paternal family originates from the Italian city of Ancona, from which his ancestor, Angelo Messi, emigrated to Argentina in 1883.[18][19] He has two older brothers named Rodrigo and Matías as well as a sister named María Sol.[20] At the age of five, Messi started playing football for Grandoli, a local club coached by his father Jorge.[21] In 1995, Messi switched to Newell's Old Boys who were based in his home city Rosario.[21] At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency.[22] Primera División club River Plate showed interest in Messi's progress, but did not have enough money to pay for treatment for his condition as it cost $900 a month.[17] Carles Rexach, the sporting director of FC Barcelona, had been made aware of his talent as Messi had relatives in Lleida, Catalonia, and Messi and his father were able to arrange a trial.[17] Barcelona signed him after watching him play,[23] offering to pay for the medical bills if he was willing to move to Spain.[21] His family moved to Europe and he started in the club's youth teams.
Club career
Barcelona
Messi made his official debut for the first-team on 16 November 2003 aged 16 years and 145 days, in a friendly match against Porto.[24][25] Less than a year later, Frank Rijkaard let him make his league debut against RCD Espanyol on 16 October 2004 (at 17 years and 114 days), becoming the third-youngest player ever to play for Barcelona and youngest club player who played in La Liga. This record was broken by Bojan Krkić in September 2007. When he scored his first senior goal for the club against Albacete Balompié on 1 May 2005, Messi was 17 years, ten months and seven days old, becoming the youngest to ever score in a La Liga game for Barcelona[26] until it was again broken by Bojan Krkić in 2007, scoring from a Messi assist.[27] Messi said about his ex-coach Rijkaard: "I'll never forget the fact that he launched my career, that he had confidence in me while I was only sixteen or seventeen.
2005–06 season
The Maradona and Pelé polemics will end.
Diego Maradona, on the consequences if Messi won the 2010 World Cup[29]On 16 September, for the second time in three months, Barcelona announced an update to Messi's contract; this time it was improved to pay him as a first team member and extended until June 2014.[21] Messi obtained Spanish citizenship on 26 September 2005[30] and was finally able to make his debut in the season's Spanish First Division. Messi's first home outing in the Champions League came on 27 September against Italian club Udinese.[24] Fans at Barcelona's stadium, the Camp Nou, gave Messi a standing ovation upon his substitution, as his composure on the ball and passing combinations with Ronaldinho had paid dividends for Barcelona.[31]
Messi netted six goals in 17 league appearances, and scored one Champions League goal in six. His season ended prematurely on 7 March 2006, however, when he suffered a muscle tear in his right thigh during the second leg of the second round Champions League tie against Chelsea.[32] Rijkaard's Barcelona ended the season as champions of Spain and Europe.[
Messi was at one stage romantically linked to Macarena Lemos, also from his hometown of Rosario. He is said to have been introduced to her by the girl's father when he returned to Rosario to recover from his injury a few days before the start of the 2006 World Cup.[172][173] He has in the past also been linked to the Argentine glamour model Luciana Salazar.[174][175] In January 2009 he told "Hat Trick Barça", a programme on Canal 33: "I have a girlfriend and she is living in Argentina. I am relaxed and happy".[175] He was seen with the girl, Antonella Roccuzzo,[176] at a carnival in Sitges after the Barcelona-Espanyol derby. Roccuzzo is a fellow native of Rosario.[177]
Messi has two cousins also involved in football: Maxi, a winger for Club Olimpia of Paraguay, and Emanuel Biancucchi, who plays as a midfielder for Spain's Girona FC.[178][179]
Charity
In 2007 Messi established the Leo Messi Foundation, a charity supporting access to education and health care for vulnerable children.[180][181] In an fansite interview, Messi said: “Being a bit famous now gives me the opportunity to help people who really need it, especially children."[182] In response to Messi’s own childhood medical difficulties, the Leo Messi Foundation supports Argentine children diagnosed with medical conditions by offering treatment in Spain and covering the transport, hospital and recuperation costs.[183] Messi’s foundation is supported by his own fundraising activity with additional assistance from Herbalife.
On 11 March 2010 Messi was announced as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.[184] Messi’s UNICEF ambassador activities are aimed at supporting children’s rights. Messi is supported in this by FC Barcelona, who also have a strong association with UNICEF.[185]