Lionel Messi Soccer/ Football Foundation 2024/2025

According to article 3 of its Statutes, the purpose of the Leo Messi Foundation is to act in favour of children and adolescents at risk at a national and international level, in partnership with other institutions that develop projects aligned with the fundamental ideals of the Foundation: health, education and sports.

Likewise, the purpose of the Foundation is also the assist, promote, implementation and/or financing of any project consisting of the creation, adoption, repair or improvement of any facility regardless of its type, whether hospital, educational and/or sports whose beneficiaries are minors, especially those who suffer from any type of illness or disease.

Lionel Messi Background

Messi was born in Rosario, Santa Fe on 24 June 1987. He is the third child of Jorge Messi, a steel factory manager, and his wife Celia Cuccittini, who worked in a magnet manufacturing workshop. On his father’s side, Messi has Italian and Spanish ancestry, with his great-grandparents being immigrants from the north-central Adriatic Marche region of Italy.

On his mother’s side, he primarily has Italian heritage. Growing up in a close-knit family that loved football, Messi developed a passion for the sport at a young age. He would constantly play with his older brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, as well as his cousins, Maximiliano and Emanuel Biancucchi, who both went on to become professional footballers. At the age of four, Messi joined the local club Grandoli, where his father coached him.

However, his earliest influence as a player came from his maternal grandmother, Celia, who would accompany him to training and matches. Her passing, just before his eleventh birthday, had a profound impact on Messi. As a devout Roman Catholic, he has since celebrated his goals by looking up and pointing to the sky as a tribute to his late grandmother.

In February 2001, the family decided to relocate to Barcelona and settled in an apartment near Camp Nou, the club’s stadium. However, Messi faced limited opportunities to play with the Infantiles during his first year in Spain due to a transfer conflict with Newell’s. As a foreigner, he was only allowed to participate in friendly matches and the Catalan league, which hindered his integration into the team.

Messi, who was already known for being reserved, was so quiet that his teammates initially believed he couldn’t speak. Moreover, he experienced homesickness when his mother returned to Rosario with his siblings, leaving him in Barcelona with his father. After spending a year at Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia, Messi was finally granted acceptance into the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in February 2002.

Lionel Messi Career

After undergoing his growth hormone treatment at 14, Messi became an indispensable member of Barcelona’s renowned youth team, known as the “Baby Dream Team.” Throughout the 2003-04 season, Messi swiftly climbed the ranks within the club, making appearances for four different youth teams in a single season.

His exceptional performances in international pre-season tournaments with Juveniles B earned him the title of player of the tournament on four occasions, leading to his promotion to Juveniles A. Messi showcased his talent in this higher division by scoring an impressive 18 goals in just 11 league games.

Messi’s first taste of first-team action came on 16 November 2003, when he made his debut as a substitute in a friendly match against Porto, coming on in the 75th minute. As he turned 18, Messi signed his inaugural senior contract, which not only raised his buyout clause to €150 million but also bound him to the club until 2010.

In the 2010-11 season, Messi played a pivotal role in securing Barcelona’s first trophy, the Supercopa de España, by delivering a remarkable hat-trick in the second leg of the competition, resulting in a resounding 4-0 victory over Sevilla.

On 13 January 2019, Messi achieved yet another milestone by scoring his 400th La Liga goal in his 435th league appearance, during a commanding 3-0 home triumph over Eibar. This remarkable feat made him the first player in the history of Europe’s top five leagues to reach such a remarkable tally.

Lionel Messi officially became a member of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), a French club, on August 10, 2021. He signed a two-year contract that will run until June 2023, with the possibility of extending for an additional year.

Inter Miami hinted at signing Messi on June 7 by sharing a video on their social media platforms. However, it was not until July 15, 2023, that Inter Miami officially announced his signing. Messi agreed to a two-and-a-half-year contract with the club.

Messi debuted for Inter Miami on July 21 in a Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul. In the final moments of the game, he scored an impressive free-kick goal, leading his team to a 2-1 victory.

During his first season with Inter Miami, Messi demonstrated his exceptional skills by scoring 11 goals in 14 matches. Unfortunately, his last game with the club ended in a 1-0 loss to Charlotte FC on October 21. Despite his achievements, Inter Miami struggled and finished 14th in the Eastern Conference. They also failed to win any of their last seven games.

In recognition of his outstanding performances in 2023, Lionel Messi was named the Time Athlete of the Year, making him the first footballer ever to receive this prestigious award.

Lionel Messi Charity Work

Some of the charity works by the Lionel Messi Foundation are:

1. Donation to UNICEF for the construction of the Residence for Mothers of the Zonal General Acute Hospital “Mi Pueblo” in Florencio Varela
2. Josep Carreras and Leo Messi join forces to support research into childhood leukaemia
3. Program to combat child malnutrition in Mozambique
4. Support for cancer research in childhood and adolescence.
5. The Messi Foundation promotes the school breakfast program in Gaza
6. The Leo Messi Foundation supports the home training of the Baccigalupo Foundation

You can find details of these charity works by the Lionel Messi Foundation at https://messi.com/acciones/

Lionel Messi Foundation Contact

You can contact the foundation at https://messi.com/la-fundacion-contacto/

Lionel Messi Foundation Email

The Foundation’s email address is [email protected]

Lionel Messi Foundation Official Website

The official website of the Lionel Messi Foundation is https://messi.com/fundacion-leo-messi/

Lionel Messi Foundation Requirements

Our social actions are focused on each child acquiring the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values ​​necessary to forge a sustainable future.

We work in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of “promoting universal primary education,” focusing our help on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children and adolescents. Visit the official website https://messi.com/fundacion-leo-messi/ for more information on requirements.

Lionel Messi Foundation Application

To apply for the Lionel Messi Foundation, kindly contact the foundation via this link https://messi.com/la-fundacion-contacto/