Known in Europe as the game of football and better known in the United States as soccer, most of the latin world has embraced the sport for decades and in many South American countries it is there number one sport. Europe has taken soccer to new heights and is watched avidly as we do the sport of baseball,basketball and American football. There championship games are equal to our world series,basketbal finals and even the super bowl. Best known as the United States joined the rest of the globe in opening it's doors to the sport in the 60's and 70's was another latin sensation only known to the world as the New York Cosmos very own Costa Rican Pele and today we have David Beckham but there is another that contraversially is the number #1 soccer player in the game.....his name is Lionel Messi.
NEVER BEFORE SINCE THE ICONIC PELE HAS THERE BEEN A MASTER AT HIS CRAFT OF SOCCER AS BARCELONA'S LIONEL MESSI
Born in Rosario, Santa Fe Province(June 24,1987), his father Jorge Messi and mother Celia Cuccittini, family originates from Italy(Ancona) as his ancestors migrated to Argentina, his father coached him early on and was taught the sport in his youth. Locally known as he and the team he played on in Rosario were incredable(losing only one game in the four years he played there). He would run into health issues just prior to his teen years as he would have problems with his growth and would develope a growth hormone deficiency and it would pull many that saw his progress and talents but a sporting director would change all that as Carlos Rexach of FC Barcelona would give him not only the opportunity but the medical help if he moved to Spain and join the program. A move with his father and joining there Youth Club Program would push him and over time get him ready for the big stage, when nearly becoming cut on two occasions he would finally debut on a full scale against RCD Espanyol on October 16, 2004 becoming the third youngest(17 years 114 days) to play for Barcelona the youngest club player to do so in La Liga(he would be later the youngest player to ever score a goal in senior competition. He would get the major break he wanted after proving himself to be in and represent Barcelona for the long haul, as they would announce to him the end of the following year(2005) an extension and a contract that would take him into full representation into 2014. That same month of September would give him another secured foundation towards his future as he was given spanish citizenship, and would not dissapoint.
Teaming up and playing alongside Barcelona teammate Ronaldinho made for the perfect combination that Barcelona needed and it would take them in full stride into form but in March it would end quickly as he suffered a muscle tear and would be sidelined for awhile but in 2006 they would be the champions of Spain and Europe. By the end of 2006-2007 he would establish himself as a regular first team player. Having 6 goals in 17 appearances the year prior and 14 goals in 26 matches that season would give him the repect he deserved as a player to be reckoned with. In March he would go into El Clasico and score a hat-trick becoming the first player since Ivan Zamorano(Real Madrid 1994-1995 season) to due so in El Clasico. After this the goals just kept coming and he just became stronger and more intelligent in his focus on scoring against his opponents. Over time many of his goals are viewed as classic highlight soccer films and he will stand out for decades to come in World Cup play. Winning several Balon"dOr,FIFA World Player Of The Year Award etc.... and stands out to most although there are many today that can hold there own against Messi like(as players in the game)Cristiano Ronaldo,Xavi Hernandez,Andres Iniesta etc..........he has proven over time to be the Argentinian that turned the ties of an already very good Barcelona team and made them great.
By the 2008-2009 season he would finally receive honors....being awarded the UEFA Club Foward Of The Year Award & The UEFA Club Footballer Of The Year Award as well having a trememdous season and following it up with the 2009-2010 season with the ultimate of individual awards in the sport of soccer as he received the FIFA World Player Of The Year Award as well as winning the Balon"dOr award as well......also becoming (alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic) as the highest payed soccer players of there time. In 2010 Messi suffered an ankle injury that would stir up widespread contraversy over protection of players and deliberate acts to hurt other players in the sport of soccer as Atletico Madrid defender Tomas Ujfalusi almost broke Messi's ankle which would have put him out for five to seven months. In the 2011-2012 season Messi would climb the ladder and level of competition as he would surpass Laszlo Kubala's 194 goals reaching second only to Cesar Rodriguez in all official competition records. He would be awarded the Golden Ball for his performance during World Cup competition. In 2012-2013 season he would go against rivals Real Madrid as he would score two goals in a 3-2 win in Super Copa De Espana. On 11 November, Messi scored twice at RCD Mallorca, his 75th and 76th goals in 2012, surpassing Pelé's milestone of 75 goals (1958) in a calendar year, and moved within nine of German legend Gerd Müller's all-time Guinness World Records title. His 77th and 78th goals came against Real Zaragoza at Camp Nou which moved Messi seven goals away from the record. On 20 November, Messi scored twice at Spartak Moscow, his 79th and 80th goals of 2012 and moved to within five goals of the record. Messi continued his scoring run against Levante UD on 25 November with his 81st and 82nd goals of the year which moved him within three goals of Müller. On 1 December, Messi scored twice against Athletic Bilbao, his 83rd and 84th goals of the year, meaning he pulled to within one goal of Müller's record set in 1972. The two goals also meant Messi equaled Barcelona's all time leading goalscoring record in La Liga, which was held by César Rodríguez with 190 goals. On 9 December, Messi scored twice against Real Betis, his 85th and 86th goals in 2012, surpassing Müller's milestone of 85 goals scored in a calendar year in 1972 with Bayern Munich and the German national team, as well as surpassing Rodríguez's record for most league goals for Barcelona. On 12 December, Messi increased his record to 88, after scoring twice against Córdoba CF in the first leg of a Copa del Rey game. Messi then sent an autographed Barcelona shirt to Müller in acknowledgement of beating his record. On 16 December, Messi scored twice in a 4–1 Barcelona victory against Atlético Madrid, increasing his record to 90 goals.The tally found its end at 91 goals in a year after Messi scored once against Real Valladolid. FIFA, however, refuses to acknowledge the record for the most goals in a calendar year, citing verifiability issues.
Although he represents Barcelona he responded to being Argentinian as he refused to play only to join his native Argentina's U-20 team early in his career and let everyone know of his Argentinian roots. He would open the 2013-2014 season with two goals in the first game against Levante UB the would go on and claim there eleventh SuperCopa DE Espana title. He is the fourth highest scorer in European competition also reaching his twenty fourth hat-trick of his career in Barcelona's Champions League also making him the second highest scorer in Champions League. He has won six La Liga Awards,three European Golden Shoe Awards,two Copa Del Rey Awards,four FIFA/Ballon"dOr Awards,five SuperCopa De Espana,two UEFA Champions League,two Club World Cup and the list goes on and on. Gifted to play the toughest sport on two legs, he has proven to be a major factor in the fuel and popularity of a once isolated sport and has brought it to the Americas ............and beyond////////so when you talk about latinos in sports you best to mention Lionel Messi --->story by John Rosario
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