Volta
Lionel Messi playing for Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar, 26 November 2022
Lionel Messi playing for Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar, 26 November 2022

Hossein Zohrevand · CC BY 4.0 · Source

Person1987

Lionel Messi

Argentine footballer who captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and won the Golden Ball for a second time; he holds the record for World Cup appearances

Born in Rosario, Argentina, he was diagnosed as a child with a growth-hormone deficiency and at thirteen moved to Spain with FC Barcelona, which offered to pay for his treatment. At Barcelona he won a long list of trophies and the Ballon d’Or many times. Playing at the World Cup from 2006, he was a runner-up and the best player of the 2014 tournament in Brazil, and in Qatar in 2022 he captained Argentina to the title and was again voted best player. He holds the record for World Cup appearances.

Show on the map

Where they went

Open the full map

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors

5 related events

  1. 1
    20062006 FIFA World Cup Germanyparticipant

    The first World Cup hosted by reunified Germany. Zidane was sent off for a head-butt in the final, and Italy beat France on penalties for a fourth title.

  2. 2
    20102010 FIFA World Cup South Africaparticipant

    The first World Cup in Africa, hosted by a South Africa once banished from world football over apartheid. Spain won for the first time, and South Korea reached the knockout stage away from home for the first time.

  3. 3
    20142014 FIFA World Cup Brazilparticipant

    The World Cup returned to Brazil after 64 years. The hosts lost 1–7 to Germany in the semi-final, and Germany beat Argentina 1–0 after extra time in the final.

  4. 4
    20182018 FIFA World Cup Russiaparticipant

    The video assistant referee (VAR) was used for the first time. France beat Croatia 4–2 in the final for a second title, and South Korea beat the holders Germany 2–0 in Kazan.

  5. 5
    20222022 FIFA World Cup Qatarkey figure

    The first World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world, and the first played in November–December to avoid the heat. Argentina drew 3–3 with France in the final and won on penalties, crowning Messi a world champion.

People who appear alongside

  • Franz Beckenbauer1945 – 2024

    West German footballer and coach who won the World Cup as captain in 1974 and as coach in 1990, and chaired the organizing committee of the 2006 World Cup; nicknamed “Der Kaiser”

Themes this person appears in

  • FIFA World Cup1904 – 2026

    From the founding of FIFA to the 48-team tournament in North America — the football championship that has gathered the world every four years since Uruguay 1930