Lionel Messi simply can´t miss in Miami these days. And now that Pelé has gone to a better place, Messi can finally be called the universe´s best soccer player. At the end of 2022, he banished all his and Argentina´s demons by leading an “average” team to a World Cup trophy in Qatar.
They started the tourney badly by losing to minnows Saudi Arabia, then battled to nip Mexico, barely snuck by diehard Holland—After Extra Time (AET) and Penalty Kicks (PK’s) in a fiery quarterfinal—and ultimately, depended on a dose of luck to escape their French pursuers in the Final. Messi was a giant every step of the way, despite his minuscule stature.
He’ll never make people forget about Maradona, but his surging runs, dazzling dribbles, pinpoint passes, and ever-so-cool penalty kicks were all unstoppable. How big is this living legend anyway?
How Big Is Messi?
Let´s talk just about Messi’s physical size—not the number of social media followers he has, or the number of Bitcoin, Dollars, and Euros he´s banked due to lucrative contracts and endless endorsements. Back in the 2004-05 season with Barcelona, Messi (then only 17), became the youngest athlete to play and score in Spain’s La Liga.
At that moment, he was listed as 5 feet, 7 inches (1.7 meters), and his weight was 148 pounds (67 kg.), probably with his boots on. It’s often said that Barça made the best deal in soccer history, signing Messi at the tender age of 13. His first contract was inked on a restaurant napkin, with the agreement that FCB pay for Lionel’s touch-and-go medical treatments.
Messi’s Diagnosis
Messi was diagnosed at a young age with “growth hormone disorder,” also known as GHD. Commonly called “idiopathic short stature,” there are clear challenges that go way beyond being a bit shorter than the average neighborhood kid.
Those special treatments were costly, creating a monthly expense of $900 that his modest family couldn’t handle. Somehow, two of Argentina´s most famous teams, River Plate and Newell’s Old Boys, decided to pass on that payout, despite the youthful Messi´s enormous promise.
What were the treatments exactly? Injections of human growth hormone, which are life-changers for somebody with GHD. They permit the individual to not only develop vertically but also cope with a bunch of internal matters. They’re the proper function of the pituitary gland, skin and teeth problems, poor vision, and low immunity.
But the use of “Human Growth Hormone” (HGH) is banned in almost all sports, both amateur and pro. Two things need clarification in Lionel’s case. First, Messi’s use was probably halted after he became an adult (though it’s hard to access the records). Second, Messi didn’t take HGH as a performance-enhancing drug.
Messi used a prescribed treatment, monitored by doctors, to overcome a unique medical condition. The result is that he’s a normal human now, fifteen years after the treatments were made possible. Everybody knows he´s not normal at all, in particular, if you ask any number of hapless defenders he´s bamboozled.
What is His Differential?
When Messi was diagnosed with the disorder, he was just 4’2” (127 cms.)—way shorter than the average male in his country. Some of his talent, or his ability to harness it, comes from his limited height.
Even after the 17-inch (43-cm.) gain Messi achieved, he maintained an extremely low center of gravity. Often a differential in soccer, it was even more so at Barcelona, showcasing other top players who were considered munchkins. Former teammates and Spain stars Andres Iniesta and Xavi are only 5´6” (168 cms.).
Messi’s illustrious countryman Diego Maradona was listed at only 5’5” (165 cms.). Yet he “rose above” many opponents a full head taller than him while leading the Argies to their second World Cup win in 1986.
His hand on top of his head also made him slightly taller in certain critical situations (a story best left for another day, especially if you´re sharing this post with a British pal).
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