Lionel Andres Messi, who shone at the Qarta World Cup, is a well-known name even to those with no interest in sports. Even though he is shorter than most of his teammates, he rises above his opponents with adept（熟练的)skills and a legendary ability to score goals for his team.
Lionel Andres Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in the warm city of Rosario，Argentina. He was the third child in a tight-knit（亲密的）and hard-working family who loved football. Naturally, young Messi developed a passion for football himself.
At four years old, Messi joined the Grandoli local club, where he was coached by his father. When he was eight, Messi joined the talented Newell Old Boys. Football soon became as important as the air he breathed, Messi practiced day in and day out, skipping outings with his friends to train at home before a game. The sport made him quite happy and motivated and he began to dream of becoming a professional footballer.
But as he grew older, his height remained the same. His concerned parents eventually took their 11-year-old son to a doctor, who broke the news that the boy suffered from a growth hormone deficiency (生长激素缺乏). This meant he was physically unable to grow unless he received special treatment, which would last three years and cost $1, 500 per month.
Stories of a 13-year-old boy who had similar talents to legendary Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona had reached the ears of FC Barcelona 's technical director, Carles Rexach. Curious, he sent an offer to the Messi family. If he passed, the club would cover his medical bills, but on the condition that Messi moved to Spain. So, in September 2000，Messi and his family uprooted their lives and flew across the Atlantic to Barcelona.
Coach Carles, was so impressed that he offered Messi a contract on the only thing he had at hand—a paper napkin. Messi signed it, opening the door to the life he had always dreamed of.
