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Lionel Messi turned 28 on Tuesday (June 24) and received wishes from fans from around the world on his social media accounts.
One of the biggest heroes that football has ever produced, Messi has attained a legendary status – one that continues to grow by leaps and bounds. On the occasion of his birthday, here are some amazing facts about the Argentina and Barcelona striker:
* Messi was diagnosed with a hormone deficiency syndrome at age 11.
* It is a well known fact amongst his fans that Messi’s first football contract was on paper napkins. A FC Barcelona boss was so impressed when he saw Messi play that he wrote down the contract on whatever he could get his hands on.
* Messi is the only player to have won the Ballon d’Or four times on the trot – 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
* The striker has two passports – that of Argentina and Spain. He was made a Spanish citizen in 2005.
* At 25, he became the youngest ever to slam 200 La Liga goals. With 425 goals, he is also the top scorer for FC Barcelona. He holds the Guinness World Record for most goals scored in a year. (91 goals in 2012)
* Messi is not all about goals. He is the Ambassador of Goodwill for UNICEF. He also started the ‘Leo Messi Foudnation’ which does a lot of charity work.
