Lionel Messi's family faced a financial crisis that nearly ended one of football's greatest careers before it began. At around age 10, Messi was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD), and the monthly injections he needed cost an estimated $900–$1,000 — far beyond what his working-class family in Rosario, Argentina, could afford. Faced with mounting medical expenses, his family accepted an offer to move the 13-year-old prodigy to FC Barcelona, which agreed to pay for his treatment. That decision changed football history.
Early Life and Family Background
Lionel Andrés Messi was born on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Argentina, to Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini. He grew up in a modest two-storey home on Calle Lavalleja, near the Paraná River, in a city located 186 miles northwest of Buenos Aires. His father worked as a steel factory manager and coached Lionel at local club Grandoli, while his mother was employed at a magnet manufacturing workshop. The family was working-class — not destitute, but unable to absorb an unexpected medical bill that would run for years.
Messi was clearly smaller than other children his age, which led to a diagnosis of Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) — a condition where the body lacks sufficient growth hormone, affecting normal physical development. He began intensive synthetic growth hormone therapy, requiring regular, sometimes nightly, injections essential for his development.
Barcelona's Life-Changing Investment
The therapy cost between $900 and $1,000 per month, a sum his family could not afford. Argentine clubs River Plate and Newell's Old Boys both declined to cover the expense, despite recognising Messi's potential. Barcelona, however, saw his promise and not only allowed him to join La Masia, its famed youth academy, but also paid for the remainder of his medical treatment after he arrived in Spain at age 13.
Over time, Messi grew to an adult height of about 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm). The therapy enabled him to build normal bone density and muscle development, providing the physical foundation to play at the highest level. Barcelona's sporting director Carles Rexach was so concerned about losing Messi to another club that during a lunch meeting, with no formal papers available, he wrote the agreement on a napkin. That napkin, scribbled at a restaurant table in 2000, sold at auction in 2024 for $965,000.
Jorge Messi: Father, Manager, and Mentor
Jorge Horacio Messi (24 April 1958 – 8 August 2026) was an Argentine businessman and sports agent. He worked as a chemical technician and steelworker before becoming Lionel's agent when his son was 14. Jorge had played football as a midfielder and reached the youth ranks of Newell's Old Boys, but abandoned the sport to complete mandatory military service in Argentina. He secured Lionel's first Barcelona contract and managed his career throughout.
Jorge was the quiet architect behind the career. Although Lionel won eight Ballon d'Or awards and trophies with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami, and Argentina, Jorge said the family valued his character more than his achievements: "What makes me proud is who Leo is as a person," Jorge said in Bruno Pisano's book My Son the Soccer Player.
In a rare public comment, Jorge told German magazine Kicker in 2013, as reported by The Daily Star: "The day Leo stops playing, I think a dream will shatter for me, and I won't watch football anymore." Lionel reflected on their bond in a 2007 interview with Radio del Plata, as reported by ESPN: "My dad was always by my side. Sometimes I would lock myself in my room to cry when we arrived in Barcelona, or my dad would do the same without me knowing."
Jorge Messi's Death and Legacy
Jorge Horacio Messi died on 8 August 2026 at age 68 after a prolonged illness. Official confirmation came from CONMEBOL, the Argentine Football Association (AFA), and a statement from the Messi family to Reuters, while clubs like Newell's Old Boys released social media tributes. His illness became a topic during the 2026 World Cup, as Lionel, aged 39, attributed his emotional displays early in the tournament to a family situation. The funeral was held privately in Pérez, near Rosario. On 12 August 2026, Lionel published an open letter on Instagram paying tribute to his father, revealing the emotional toll of playing through the World Cup while his father's health deteriorated from a distance.
Earlier in 2026, all football games in Argentina observed a moment of silence for Jorge Messi, and players wore black armbands. UNICEF wrote: "We regret the passing of Jorge Messi, father of our Goodwill Ambassador Lionel Messi and a person always committed to the rights of boys and girls."
Family, Siblings, and Net Worth
Lionel is the third of four children, with older brothers Rodrigo and Matías, and younger sister María Sol. Rodrigo manages Lionel's daily schedule and public relations. Matías works with the Leo Messi Foundation and helps with logistics. María Sol heads design and brand direction for The Messi Store and is involved in family business projects, including Lionel's production company, 525 Rosario. She became engaged to childhood friend Julián "Tuli" Arellano in January 2024; the couple postponed their planned January 2026 wedding in Rosario after María Sol suffered serious injuries in a December 2025 car accident in Miami. In 2018, Messi told Marca: "I love football and I live for it, but family is above all."
Messi's mother, Celia María Cuccittini, named him after American singer Lionel Richie, reportedly without telling Jorge until he saw the birth certificate. She continues to support Lionel and helps with the Leo Messi Foundation. In 2018, she told El Diario de Mariana, per ESPN: "I wished him a lot of luck. I told him to enjoy himself, to live in the moment and be happy. I told him to do what he knows, to play just as if he was playing when he started out with Grandoli. All the family here is supporting him."
Messi is not biologically related to Sergio Agüero, but they are close friends, and Messi is the godfather of Agüero's son Benjamín. In the foreword to Agüero's book, Messi wrote: "I can clearly remember the first day that I saw Kun, that moment has remained etched in my memory. Back then I didn't know who he was or even what he was called. We roomed together at the Under-20 World Cup in Holland and we hit it off really well." Agüero once joked: "Messi and I have been together since we were 17 years old. We are already 32 and 33 years old — we are like a worn-out married couple."
Messi retired from international football on 31 August 2026, following Argentina's World Cup final defeat and his father's death. He admitted the loss left him with doubts about continuing his professional career, but he continues to play club football for Inter Miami. His net worth is estimated at $1.1 billion by Forbes, $1 billion by Celebrity Net Worth, and $850 million by GIVEMESPORT and Parade. His wealth sources include a $28.3 million guaranteed salary for the 2026 MLS season, a long-term Adidas sponsorship since 2006, a real estate portfolio worth over $200 million, and business ventures including MiM Hotels and 525 Rosario.
