David Machajewski - Lionel Messi

Published in 2019 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2019 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

First Edition

Editor: Elizabeth Krajnik

Book Design: Michael Flynn

Photo Credits: Cover (Messi), p. 1 Marcelo Endelli/LatinContent WO/Getty Images; cover (stadium background) winui/Shutterstock.com; cover (player glow) Nejron Photo/Shutterstock.com; pp. 3, 23, 24 (background) Narong Jongsirikul/Shutterstock.com; pp. 4, 6, 810, 12, 14, 1618, 20, 22 (ball background) DRN Studio/Shutterstock.com; p. 4 Chekyravaa/Shutterstock.com; pp. 5, 22 Ververidis Vasilis/Shutterstock.com; p. 6 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Lionel_Messi#/media/File:Messi_trofeo_infantil_1992.jpg; p. 7 illpax/Shutterstock.com; p. 8 EFE News Agency/Alamy; p. 9 Richard Wareham Fotografie/Alamy; p. 10 Denis Doyle/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images; pp. 13, 19 JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images; p. 15 Stu Forster/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images; p. 16 Power Sport Images/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images; p. 17 David Ramos/ Getty Images Sport/Getty Images; p. 20 Marco Rubino/Shutterstock.com; p. 21 JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Machajewski, David.

Title: Lionel Messi / David Machajewski.

Description: New York : PowerKids Press, 2019. | Series: Soccer stars | Includes glossary and index.

Identifiers: ISBN 9781538345061 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781538343500 (library bound) | ISBN 9781538345078 (6 pack)

Subjects: LCSH: Messi, Lionel, 1987---Juvenile literature. | Soccer players--Argentina--Biography--Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC GV942.7.M398 M33 2019 | DDC 796.334092 B--dc23

Manufactured in the United States of America

CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #CWPK19 For Further Information contact Rosen Publishing, New York, New York at 1-800-237-9932

MEET LIONEL MESSI

At soccer stadiums around the world, fans wear the colors and jerseys of their favorite teams and players. In Barcelona, Spain, you might see people walking around with the number 10 and the name Messi on the back of their jerseys.

These people are fans of Lionel Messi, one of the greatest soccer players of all time. Messi has overcome many challenges in his life, and it wasnt easy for him to become a soccer star. His journey has inspired soccer fans around the world.

SOCCER, WHICH IS CALLED FOOTBALL IN MOST COUNTRIES, IS ONE OF THE WORLDS MOST POPULAR SPORTS. MESSI IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS SOCCER PLAYERS IN THE WORLD.

BOY WONDER

Lionel Andrs Messi was born on June 24, 1987, to Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini in Rosario, Argentina. His father worked in a steel factory and his mother cleaned houses. Messi has two older brothers, Rodrigo and Matias, and one younger sister, Maria Sol.

Messi has loved soccer since he was a boy. If he couldnt find a soccer ball to play with, he would make one out of socks or plastic bags. One day, the club his brothers played for, Grandoli, was a player short and the teams coach asked Messi to join. Messi was just a small five-year-old at that time.

LIONEL MESSI ATFIVE YEARS OLD

ROSARIO IS THE THIRDLARGEST CITY IN ARGENTINA. WHILE MESSI WAS GROWING UP, ARGENTINAS ECONOMY WASNT DOING WELL.

AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE

In 1995, when Messi was just eight years old, he joined the youth team of Newells Old Boys, an Argentinian professional football team. Messi played with this team for three years and helped them win many games. Soon, famous teams started noticing him.

ENRIQUE DOMINGUEZ, FORMER COACH AT NEWELLS OLD BOYS

NEWELLS OLD BOYS STADIUM

EVEN THOUGH NEWELLS ALSO HELPED PAY FOR MESSIS TREATMENT, IT STILL WASNT ENOUGH TO COVER THE COST COMPLETELY. THE FAMILY MOVED TO SPAIN IN DECEMBER 2000.

Messis coaches were worried something was wrong because he was much shorter than other boys his age. At just 11 years old, the doctor told him he had growth hormone deficiency. For a while, Messis fathers insurance and his employer covered the cost of the medicine. However, when Argentinas economy collapsed, the family could no longer afford to pay for it.

BARCELONA

Carles Rexach, the sporting director at FC Barcelona, believed Messi could be a great soccer star. He offered Messi a contract to join the FC Barcelona youth team. As part of this deal, FC Barcelona agreed to pay for Messis medical treatments. Messi accepted this offer and moved to Spain with his father when he was 13 years old.

It was hard for Messi to leave his home in Argentina. At first, the other players called him el mudowhich means the mute one in Spanishbecause he rarely spoke. However, Messi impressed everyone with his soccer skills.

STAR POWER

During talks about signing Messi, Messis father suggested theyd find a different team to give Messi a contract. As a result, Rexach decided to sign Messi immediately and wrote his first contract on a napkin.

MESSI HAS BEEN PLAYING WITH FC BARCELONA SINCE HE WAS 13 YEARS OLD.

THE ROAD TO FAME

Messi quickly rose through the ranks of the clubs junior teams. On November 16, 2003, when Messi was 16 years old, he was brought up from the Youth A team to play on the first teamthe clubs most senior team in a friendly match against Porto. He officially joined the first team when he was 17 years old, making him the youngest player and goal scorer in La Liga, Spains professional football league.

During the 20082009 season, Messi helped FC Barcelona win three European club titles. In 2010, he won the Golden Shoe award for being Europes leading scorer and was named the 2010 FIFA World Player of the Year.

STAR POWER

When he was playing for Newells, Messis teammates gave him the nickname la pulga, which means the flea in Spanish, because of how small he was. The nickname also refers to his speed and