unicef O occer is by far the world's most popular team sport Part of that popularity comes from how little equipment is needed A to start a game With just a ball and goal posts even impro vised ones you can get a game of soccer going pretty much any where This is an important consideration in many less economically developed coun tries where kids may not have access to expensive clubhouses or sporting equipment In Argentina a soccer player named Lionel Messi showed many of the traits of a standout player A from an early age Among these In an April 2011 match Lionel Messi dazzled fans at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona Spain with his fancy footwork and superb control of the ball skills that have made him a living legend of soccer
Introduction traits are the intelligence and the athleticism that soccer demands QUICK FACT Also notable is that Messi overcame physical difficulties as a young man Outside of the United States and and later dominated the sport and Canada soccer is commonly surpassed his peers Today he is a known as football or association iving legend football The word soccer was Messi plays forward on both originally derived from an abbre Argentina's national team and for FC I viation of the word association in Barcelona a popular team in Spain association football His coach has called him the Michael Jordan of soccer a player capable of defining an era Many sports critics even suggest that he may be the best soccer player of all time He is a skilled playmaker and a thoughtful team player To be at the top of one of the most popular sports in the world is a big honor but also carries with it huge pressure and responsibility At only twenty seven years old Messi wears these pressures on his shoulders as ably as he handles the ball with his feet 5
APTER The Early Years occer is in Argentina's roots and it is the country s most beloved sport Most Argentines play soccer from a young age and many dream of becoming a big league soccer player Born on June 24 1987 Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccitini nicknamed Leo was no exception Located on the west bank of the Paraná River in Argentina Rosario is the country s third largest city as well as the hometown of Lionel Messi a 0
The Early years As a young child Leo grew up in the river port city of Rosario Argentina's third largest city Leo's father Jorge Horacio Messi was a steelworker His mother Celia Maria Cuccittini worked part time as a cleaner Both parents were of Italian origin as is a good portion of the population of Argentina Leo was the Messis third child after older broth ers Rodrigo and Matias His younger sister Maria Sol was born when Leo was eight years old Fancy Footwork at a young age Like many Argentine children the Messi boys looked up to Diego Maradona Maradona was a superstar of Argentine soccer In the quar terfinal of the 1986 World Cup he scored the famous Hand of God goal he illegally hit the ball with his hand but the referee mistakenly thought he had used his head which is allowed After scoring another spectacular goal four minutes later Argentina won the match MINNESCO Argentine soccer a superstar Diego a Maradona is shown 23 here celebrating his country s victory at the 1986 World Cup Maradona is considered a hero by many F Argentine fans of soccer and an inspiration for amateur soccer players 2 SYS SYTH OPI
