World Cup 2014: Five Things You Need to Know about Argentina's Lionel Messi
Argentina and the Netherlands will be playing each other Wednesday for the right to play in the 2014 World Cup Final, and much of the reason the Argentina squad is in this position is because of their superstar forward, Lionel Messi.
With an almost Herculean effort, Messi has been playing fantastic in this World Cup so far, so let's get to know this superstar striker a little better:
1. Goals, Goals, and More Goals
With 22-year-old James Rodriguez and Colombia out of the tournament, Messi is the co-leader for goals this World Cup. Messi has scored four goals this competition so far, which has him tied with Germany's Thomas Mue ller. Neymar (of Brazil) also has four, but he's out with a fractured vertebra. With five career World Cup goals, Messi is now fifth on the all-time Argentina scoring list and he has plenty of time to catch the all-time leader, Gabriel Batistuta, who has 10.
2. Rivalry With Germany
Despite being only 27 years old, Messi is playing in his third World Cup. His first appearance was in 2006, in Germany. In that World Cup, Messi and Argentina qualified for the knockout round and defeated Mexico in the round of 16. Unfortunately, they lost to Germany in the quarterfinals. In 2010, fans saw a repeat of 2006, with Germany beating Argentina in the quarterfinals again. There's a good chance Messi will face Germany for a third consecutive World Cup, this time in the finals.
3. He Chose Argentina Over Spain
Messi was born and raised in Argentina, but he also holds dual citizenship in Spain. In his autobiography, Messi explains that he was asked multiple times if he would play for the Spanish National team, but never really considered it. He has always wanted to play and represent Argentina in the big game.
Messi is also of Italian descent. Spanish, Argentine and Italian. That's a lot of great soccer genes.
4. He's Very Wealthy
According to Forbes, Messi is the second wealthiest soccer player in the world, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo, and he is one of the most marketable athletes in the world. Messi's major sponsors include Pepsi, Samsung, Adidas and Herbalife. Messi earns more than $60 million per year. Messi has chosen to donate much of his time and money to numerous charities in the process.
5. He's Social Media Savvy
With so many people on social media platforms these days, athletes are signing up in record numbers. Messi is very active on his Facebook with injury news, soccer news, and personal updates daily. Fans have the privilege to reply on his photos and comments to engage with the superstar. Messi also has a Twitter, @LioMessi_.
