10 lesser-known facts about Lionel Messi every football fan should know

Dubai: Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest footballer of all time, but even his most devoted fans may not know every detail of his remarkable story. Here are 10 facts that go beyond the goals and trophies.

1. He was named after a singer

Messi's full name is Lionel Andrés Messi, and he was named after Lionel Richie, who happened to be his mother's favourite singer at the time of his birth. It is a detail that feels almost ironic given how far his name has since travelled beyond music charts and into football folklore.

2. His grandmother shaped his early career

Long before agents and scouts entered the picture, Messi's grandmother Celia was his first and most loyal supporter, regularly attending his training sessions and matches as a young boy in Rosario. She passed away before he turned professional, but Messi has never forgotten her influence. To this day, he points to the sky after scoring a goal as a tribute to her memory.

3. He scored nearly 500 goals before turning professional

Messi joined his hometown club Newell's Old Boys at just seven years old. By the time he left for FC Barcelona in 2000, he had reportedly scored close to 500 goals across various youth levels, a staggering tally that hinted at the talent waiting to be unleashed on a bigger stage.

4. He battled a growth hormone deficiency

At age 10, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency that required years of costly medical treatment, treatment his family in Argentina struggled to afford. It was partly this medical need that prompted Barcelona to step in and support his move to Spain, where the club covered his treatment as part of his transfer.

5. He married his childhood sweetheart

Messi is married to Antonela Roccuzzo, someone he has known since they were both children growing up in Rosario. The couple share three sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, and their relationship is often cited as one of the more grounded, low-key love stories in modern football.

6. He is godfather to a teammate's son

Messi shares a close friendship with former Argentina teammate Sergio Agüero, a bond that goes beyond the pitch. Messi serves as the godfather to Agüero's son, Benjamin, reflecting just how deep the connection between the two former strike partners runs.

7. His tattoos tell his life story

Messi has an extensive tattoo collection dedicated almost entirely to his family. Among the most personal pieces are his wife's eyes, his sons' names and handprints, and a tribute to his mother inked across his back, turning his body into something of a visual diary of the people closest to him.

8. His first Barcelona deal was signed on a napkin

In December 2000, a 13 year old Messi was promised a future at FC Barcelona through an agreement scrawled on a napkin during a lunch meeting with the club's then sporting director, Carles Rexach. The informal contract was meant to reassure his father that a deal would follow. In 2024, that same napkin sold at auction for $965,000.

9. He holds the record for Instagram's most-liked post

A carousel of images posted by Messi celebrating Argentina's 2022 World Cup win became the most-liked post in Instagram history, surpassing more than 74 million likes. The post overtook a previous record held by, somewhat bizarrely, a photo of a plain egg.

10. He is football's all-time leading assist provider

Messi is the only player to win the World Cup Golden Ball twice, claiming the award for the tournament's best player in both 2014 and 2022. He has also become the outright record holder for assists in football history, surpassing 410 across his club and international career, a number that continues to grow even in the later stages of his playing days.