Lionel Messi: Interesting facts you must know about the Argentine superstar

New Delhi: Argentina fans were left in a state of shock, as Lionel Messi announced retirement from international football after his team's 2-4 loss against Chile in Copa America final.

Messi missed out on an easy penalty kick chance, and looked shattered after doing so.

Here are some of the interesting facts you must know about him:

Messi was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. For a living, his father Jorge worked as a steelworker to make a living but he also coached a local youth football team.

Messi was given his first contract on a napkin! FC Barcelona's club sporting director, Charles Rexach, was so impressed by Messi’s enormous talent, that he was eager to make the news official as soon as possible. With no paper around, it was done on a napkin!

Messi is Argentina's all-time highest goal-scorer with 55 goals.

With an annual income of 74m Euros = Rs 558 crore, he is the world's richest footballer ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo whose annual income as per Forbes is 67.4m Euros = Rs 508 crore.

Messi debuted for the Catalans at the age of 17 against Espanyol, thereby becoming the third youngest ever player to play for the Club and the youngest to score. He scored six goals in 17 appearances and later when Ronaldinho left, he was handed over his no. 10 jersey.

As a teenager, Messi was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency, which restricted his growth when he was just 11. Along with the height problem, he also suffered lower immunity and poor vision due to this deficiency.