47 TABLE OF CONTENTS Small Striking Talent 10 Ensuring His Future 13 Rocketing Up the Ranks 17 Living the Dream 20 Shattering Records 24 MSN Strike Force Surpassing Pelé Bravo Bravo Important Dates Source Notes Selected Bibliography Learn More Index 30 33 38 44 46 48
Lionel Messi dribbles the ball on the pitch during the 2022 FIFA World Cup final match 10 AFA 10 H
The stakes were incredibly high for Lionel Messi at the FIFA Men's World Cup on December 18 2022. In 18 years of playing professional soccer he had already claimed an Olympic gold medal several Ballon d'Or awards Champions League titles and much more The World Cup was the one trophy he was missing Messi the captain of La Albiceleste Argentina's national team took to the pitch for the World Cup final match It was Messi's 26th World Cup game an all-time men's World Cup record La Albiceleste faced reigning champion France at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar About 89,000 fans packed the stands Thousands of Argentinians had traveled from South America to the Middle East- over 8,000 miles 12,875 km -to support their team In addition about one and a half billion people watched on screens around the world Soccer is the world's most popular sport and the World Cup is its biggest event 7
