Lionel Messi is one of the most recognizable soccer (or football) players in the world. The 28-year-old plays for Spanish club Barcelona, as well as Argentina’s national team. Though a lot of Messi’s life has been made public, there are still some things about him that many people do not know. With that in mind, here we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Lionel Messi. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: He Had an Interesting Rise to Fame. Messi was made to sign with Barcelona by Soldini and Montero – agents for other soccer players. Messi let both of them go, but he has since been sued by Soldini and Montero because they were never compensated for their work.
Number Fourteen: Barcelona Recruited Him Because of a Video. A video of Messi juggling oranges and tennis balls was what caught Barcelona’s eye. Once Barcelona saw the video, they asked Messi’s agents to bring him there as soon as possible.
Number Thirteen: He Only Speaks Catalan When He Is Drunk. Though Messi got to Barcelona when he was 13 years old, he does not speak Catalan very often. In fact, the only time he has been recorded speaking Catalan is after the championship, and he was reportedly drunk at the time.
Number Twelve: He Truly Loves His Roots. Messi loves Argentina, despite the fact that he moved to Spain when he was young. He resisted playing for the Spanish national team, and he honors his family by pointing up into the sky when he scores as a sign of dedication to his grandmother.
Number Eleven: He Was Once Leonel Mecci. When Messi was chosen by Argentina, he was actually going by Leonel Mecci. At the time, he was not very well known.
Number Ten: He Loves Coca-Cola. Messi’s favorite drink is coca-cola, despite the fact that he has a contract with Pepsi. One of Messi’s physical therapists actually went so far as to remove soda machines in La Masia, where Barcelona trains.
Number Nine: He Is Not Very Social. Messi is rumored to be very quiet, and because of his lack of social interaction, it is important for new players on the team to be able to work with him. Because of this, when Barcelona recruits, they only look for players who mesh well with him.