英語(yǔ)名人堂：里奧內(nèi)爾·安德雷斯·梅西

里奧·梅西(Lionel Messi)，1987年6月24日出生于圣菲省羅薩里奧市，阿根廷足球運(yùn)動(dòng)員。

2000年，梅西加入巴塞羅那俱樂部。2005年，阿根廷青年隊(duì)奪取世青賽冠軍，梅西贏得了金球獎(jiǎng)和金靴獎(jiǎng)雙項(xiàng)大獎(jiǎng)。2007年4月18日，梅西在國(guó)王杯半決賽對(duì)赫塔菲時(shí)復(fù)制了馬拉多納在世界杯上的連過五人進(jìn)球。2008年北京奧運(yùn)會(huì)上，梅西隨阿根廷國(guó)奧隊(duì)奪取了金牌。2009年底，他當(dāng)選了歐洲足球先生和世界足球先生。梅西2008-2009賽季率領(lǐng)球隊(duì)連奪西甲、國(guó)王杯和歐冠三個(gè)冠軍。2011年，梅西獲得首屆國(guó)際足聯(lián)金球獎(jiǎng)，還獲得了歐足聯(lián)歐洲最佳球員。2013年，他以46粒聯(lián)賽進(jìn)球的成績(jī)第三次獲得歐洲金靴獎(jiǎng)獎(jiǎng)杯。2014年，梅西隨阿根廷隊(duì)參加2014巴西世界杯。2014年巴西世界杯上，獲得世界杯亞軍[1] 。

2014年12月20日，梅西被IFFHS評(píng)為2013年世界職業(yè)聯(lián)賽的最佳射手獎(jiǎng)[2] 。2015年8月，當(dāng)選歐洲超級(jí)杯最佳球員。[3]

2015年8月27日，歐洲冠軍聯(lián)賽小組賽抽簽暨歐洲最佳球員頒獎(jiǎng)典禮在蒙特卡洛的格里馬爾迪會(huì)議中心舉行，梅西獲得歐洲最佳球員。[4]

2016年1月12日，梅西榮膺2015年度FIFA金球獎(jiǎng)，五度得獎(jiǎng)創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄。[5]

2016年6月，在連續(xù)三次決賽(2014年世界杯、2015年美洲杯、2016年美洲杯)失利后，梅西正式宣布將退出阿根廷國(guó)家隊(duì)。[6]

Lionel Andrés Messi was born on June 24, 1987 in the city of Rosario, Argentina. Everyone knows him now as the best football player in the world. In fact, a lot of people say he might become the greatest player ever. We’ll see about that at the World Cup. Messi is FIFA World Player of the Year. He also helped his club team Barcelona win the European Champions League and the World Club Championship.

Messi grew up playing football. He joined his first club when he was five. At the age of eight, he signed up for the famous Newell's Old Boys' youth team. His career nearly ended when doctors found out he suffered from a growth hormone deficiency. Luckily, agents from Barcelona saw his talent and in 2000, he moved to Spain. The Catalan club paid for his medical treatment and coached him until he made his Barcelona debut.

Lionel started breaking records as soon as he played his first game for Barcelona in the 2004-05 season. He became the youngest footballer ever to play a La Liga game and the youngest to score a goal. He helped his team win the league in his first season, and the league and Champions League double in the following season. In the 2008-09 season he scored an impressive 38 goals as Barcelona won the treble.

Messi has an amazing career ahead of him. He is set to shine in South Africa. Many football experts compare him to the legendary Pele and Maradona. This World Cup could be the stage for him to show people he really is the best. His skills on the ball, ability to get past defenders and his goal-scoring are breathtaking. Top soccer coach Arsene Wenger said Messi is “like a PlayStation. He takes advantage of every mistake teams make”.