Messi has collected an extraordinary number of individual honors throughout his career. He has won multiple Ballon d’Or awards, recognizing him as the best football player in the world. He has also received numerous Golden Boots as Europe’s top league scorer and has broken countless scoring and assist records.
Fortunately, FC Barcelona recognized his extraordinary talent and offered to pay for his medical treatment if he joined their youth academy. At just 13 years old, Messi moved to Spain with his family to begin a new chapter in his football career. Messi joined Barcelona’s famous youth academy, La Masia, where he rapidly developed into one of the club’s brightest prospects. Coaches were impressed by his technical ability, intelligence, and maturity on the field. He progressed through the youth teams faster than most players and made his first-team debut in October 2004 at just 17 years old.
