BUENOS AIRES: Argentine legend Lionel Messi, arguably one of the greatest ever to play the beautiful game, turned 39 on Wednesday.
The modern-day footballing legend, nicknamed ‘La Pulga’ (the Flea in Spanish) and ‘Messiah’, was born in a humble household in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina. Messi showed early promise at Newell’s Old Boys before joining Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, where his rapid rise quickly established him as a generational talent.
He made his senior Barcelona debut in 2004 and went on to spend nearly two decades at the club, becoming its all-time leading scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances across all competitions.
During his Barcelona career, Messi won 10 La Liga titles and 4 UEFA Champions League trophies, along with 7 Copa del Rey titles, 3 FIFA Club World Cups, 3 UEFA Super Cups, and 8 Spanish Super Cups. He also played a central role in two historic treble-winning seasons in 2008-09 and 2014-15 under Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, respectively.
After leaving Barcelona in 2021, Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain, where he scored 32 goals in 75 appearances and won two Ligue 1 titles and the 2022 Trophee des Champions.
On the international stage, Messi made his senior debut for Argentina in 2005 and has since become the nation’s all-time top scorer with over 100 international goals in more than 175 appearances. He led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory in 2022, scoring seven goals in the tournament and winning the Golden Ball as the best player. He also guided Argentina to the Copa America triumph in 2021 and the Finalissima in 2022.
Individually, Messi has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards and multiple European Golden Shoes, underlining his sustained dominance at the highest level of the game. He also won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball in both 2014 and 2022.
In 2023, Messi joined Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, continuing to draw global attention while extending his influence on the sport even in the later stages of his career.
Messi officially signed with Inter Miami on July 15, 2023, following his departure from PSG. He made his debut on July 21 and subsequently led the team to their first-ever major title, the Leagues Cup, that same year. Since then, Messi has recorded over 85 goal contributions in around 88 appearances for Inter Miami, while leading the club to three major trophies: the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 the Supporters’ Shield and the MLS Cup in 2025.
Messi has set a series of unmatched FIFA World Cup records, establishing himself as one of the tournament’s greatest-ever players.
The Argentine forward has scored 18 goals in World Cup history, making him the all-time leading scorer in the competition. He has also made 26 appearances across six editions of the tournament (2006 to 2026), the most by any player in men’s World Cup history.
Messi is among a select group of players, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, to feature in six different World Cup editions, highlighting his extraordinary longevity at the highest level. Over the course of his career, he has scored across multiple stages of the tournament, from group matches to knockout rounds, underlining his consistency across eras.
His crowning achievement came in 2022 when he led Argentina to World Cup glory, winning the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, further cementing his legacy as one of football’s defining figures.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has extended its warm wishes to legendary forward and captain Lionel Messi on his 39th birthday, as he continues to play a pivotal role in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026.
Born on June 24, 1987, at the Italian Hospital Garibaldi in Rosario, Santa Fe, Messi marks another year at the peak of his career while remaining a central figure for Argentina in the 2026 World Cup, where he has continued to set new records and further strengthen a legacy that spans generations.
Wearing the iconic sky-blue and white jersey, Messi’s international journey has been defined by landmark achievements, including the FIFA U-20 World Cup triumph in 2005, the Olympic gold medal at Beijing 2008, and a golden era with the senior team highlighted by the 2021 Copa America win, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 FIFA World Cup victory in Qatar, and the 2024 Copa America title in the United States.
🔝 39 años de Lionel Messi: el hombre que cambió la historia del fútbol mundial
¡Feliz cumple, capitán! 🤍🩵
📝 https://t.co/T0ygZH3WIj pic.twitter.com/76EAczLfhp
— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) June 24, 2026
In the ongoing 2026 World Cup, Messi has once again been at the forefront, achieving new milestones that reinforce his position as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history and adding further weight to his list of tournament records.
At club level, his professional career began in 2004 when he debuted for Barcelona at the age of 17. Over a glittering spell at the Spanish giants, he played 778 matches and scored 672 goals, winning 35 trophies, including four UEFA Champions League titles along with multiple domestic league and cup honours.
He later moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 before continuing his career at Inter Miami in the United States, where he remains a key global ambassador for the sport while extending his playing legacy.
At 39, Messi continues to redefine longevity and excellence in modern football, with the Argentine Football Association’s tribute reflecting gratitude for his immense contribution to the national team and the sport as a whole.
All his titles till now:
Argentina National Team:
2005: U-20 World Cup
2008: Beijing Olympic Games
2021: Copa America
2022: Finalissima
2022: World Cup
2024: Copa America
Barcelona:
2005: LaLiga
2005: Spanish Super Cup
2006: LaLiga 2006
Spanish Super Cup
2006: Champions League
2009: LaLiga
2009: Copa del Rey
2009: Spanish Super Cup
2009: Champions League
2009: UEFA Super Cup
2009: Club World Cup
2010: LaLiga
2010: Spanish Super Cup
2011: LaLiga
2011: Spanish Super Cup
2011: Champions League
2011: UEFA Super Cup
2011: Club World Cup
2012: Copa del Rey 2013
LaLiga
2013: Spanish Super Cup
2015: LaLiga
2015: Copa del Rey
2015: Champions League
2015: UEFA Super Cup
2015: FIFA Club World Cup
2016: LaLiga
2016: Copa del Rey
2016: Spanish Super Cup
2017: Copa del Rey
2018: LaLiga
2018: Copa del Rey
2018: Spanish Super Cup
2019: LaLiga
2021: Copa del Rey
Paris Saint-Germain
2022: Ligue 1
2022: French Super Cup
2023: Ligue 1
Inter Miami
2023: Leagues Cup
2024: Supporters’ Shield
2025: MLS Cup. (ANI)
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