How much do you know about Messi – both on and off the pitch?Facts about Lionel Messi don’t stay hidden for long given that he is one of the best players to have ever graced the game. He has almost won everything that is there to win for a footballer, barring the FIFA World Cup of course. From scoring a ‘Hand of God’ goal to sharing his birthday with an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, there are many things the world doesn't know about the Barcelona forward.Also read: Why Lionel Messi's salary is thoroughly well-earned and completely justifiedHere are ten facts about Lionel Messi you probably didn't know:
#1 Lionel Messi has his own version of the Hand of God
Lionel Messi scored his own Hand of God during the 2006/07 season when Barcelona drew 2-2 with Espanyol. It was a goal that was very identical to Diego Maradona's first goal against England in the 1986 World Cup.
The aftermath of the goal saw the people and Spanish press start labelling Messi as ‘Messidona’.
Did he mean it?
#2 It was a piece of napkin that started Lionel Messi\'s career at Barcelona
It was 14 December 2000 when Barcelona's sporting director Carles Rexach held a meeting with 13-year-old Lionel Messi's father Jorge so as to determine the future of the young prodigy.
Interestingly, the contract was signed on a napkin which was the only piece of paper available at the time.
Who knew this napkin would turn out to be one of the most important sporting documents in all of history?
#3 Barcelona paid for Lionel Messi\'s hospital bills
It is well-known that Lionel Messi was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) at the age of 11; a condition that forced him to take Human Growth Hormones (HGH).
The treatment that cost $900 a month all those years ago was something Messi's family were not financially up for. It was Barcelona who intervened and, knowing Messi's potential, it wasn't long until he was called for a trial at the club.
The club then offered to pay Messi's medical bills on the condition that he moved to Spain.
#4 Even after all the fame and money, Messi maintains a close connection with Rosario
Lionel Messi has always been in touch with his old buddies from Rosario and is said to be in daily contact with them via text messages. Messi once made a three-hour trip by car to Rosario just to have dinner with his family after training before returning to Buenos Aires the next day in time for practice.
He still owns his old house in Argentina, even though he hasn't been staying there for more than half his life now.
Not surprisingly, he is also the international ambassador of Rosario, his hometown.
#5 Messi is a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF
It was announced on 11 March 2010 that Messi would be one of the goodwill ambassadors for UNICEF, a partnership that is supported by Barcelona, who have had a strong association with UNICEF.
Messi's role is to aim at supporting children's rights. The forward even donated €600,000 for the renovation of a children's hospital in his hometown of Rosario.
#6 He is a big foodie
In the initial stages of his career, Lionel Messi's coach had a special kind of training regime where Messi was promised an alfajor (a traditional confection in Argentina) every time he scored a goal. His favourite cuisine is said to be the Barcelona mavin, and his favourite dish is Escalope Milanese.
When former manager Pep Guardiola was given the reins of the team, Messi's excess love for food was an issue he had to tackle. It resulted in the press calling Messi “the star of porcelain” for his unhealthy lifestyle related injuries.
Another funny instance is that Guardiola had to remove a Coca-Cola vending machine the team had in their training centre just to prevent Messi from having one soft drink too many!
#7 Its harder to get Messi on the phone than to interview God
These were the words of Argentinian legend Diego Maradona who relates to the reporters and journalists who could die for an interview with the multiple-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Roman Besa, a journalist at El Pais also told the world a side of his own story.
“One day, Lionel entered the field with a plastic spoon in his mouth. He did not let go until the end of the session. It was a way to show that he was upset. For what reason? Nobody knew and nobody has ever tried to find out.”
It is also said that Messi usually uses his relatives to communicate. And he only uses text messages for important messages.
#8 Messi speaks Catalan when he is drunk
Lionel Messi barely speaks Catalan, even though he can speak it fluently. However, one evening while celebrating Barcelona's league title win, he made an exception while on top of the bus.
He took the megaphone and screamed: “Visca el Barça, visca Catalunya there aguante Argentina, la concha de su madre!” which roughly translates to: “Long Live Barca, Long live Catalonia, and Argentina!”
The funny part? He was drunk then!
#9 Messi shares his birthday month and city with Che Guevara
Lionel Messi and Argentine Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara have a lot of common traits in between them; from having the same birthplace, which is Rosario, the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina to the same birthday month which is June.
“I’ll go elsewhere and find the Argentina shirt with my name on it and it is so cool,” Messi had said once. “I’m excited when I see flags of Che Guevara, Diego [Maradona] from Argentina anywhere in the world, I have strong feelings for that.”
#10 Messi has a tattoo as a tribute to his son and mother
After the birth of his first child Thiago, Lionel Messi had his son's name tattooed on his calf. It wasn't his first since he already had a portrait of his mother, Celia Cuccitini inked on his left shoulder.
