10 Things You Didn't Know About Lionel Messi
He nearly played for Spain, you know...
Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest player ever to lace up a pair of football boots.
Since making his debut for Barcelona back in 2004, he has dazzled crowds and defences alike, and 445 appearances later, he's scored an incredible 375 goals, defying early concerns that his obvious talent might not translate well on a professional pitch. Having almost brought the 2014 World Cup back to Argentina single-handedly, he's also scored a massive 45 goals in 96 appearances for the national team, and quite frankly is pretty much on course to break every record in the book.
With Barca, Messi has won 6 La Liga titles, 2 Copa del Reys, 6 Supercopa de España, 3 Champions Leagues, 2 UEFA Super Cups and 2 FIFA Club World Cups. With the Argentine national side Messi won a FIFA U20 World Cup in 2005 before securing Olympic gold in 2008. And his bulging trophy cabinet also features 3 Ballon D'Ors.
But even with the world's spotlights turned firmly on him, there are some things you won't know about the Argentine marvel...
10. His Middle Name Is Andrés
The name was given to him by his parents who are believed to be the descendants of early Italian immigrants who settled in the Rosario region of Argentina.
It's a name he of course shares with current Barcelona teammate Iniesta.