In this book from the highly acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Leo Messi, one of the worlds most skilled and celebrated footballers. As a child, Leo developed his passion for football playing games with his brothers and cousins in the streets of Rosario, Argentina. He later honed his skills on the pitch as part of the local youth team, Newells Old Boys - who famously won every tournament whilst Leo was with them. But life wasnt without its challenges. Aged 9, he was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency, which meant he had to inject himself with hormones from the doctor every day to help him grow. But nothing was going to stop Leo from following his dreams. He debuted with FC Barcelona in 2004 and across the next 17 years scored 672 goals for the club and helped them to win 35 trophies. Leo has also received seven Golden Ball awards, more than any other football player in history, and won 4 trophies with Argentinas national football team, including the 2022 World Cup, where he captained the team to victory. Today, he is considered by many to be The Greatest of All Time - and is a hero off the pitch, too, as a committed ambassador for UNICEF and founder of his own childrens charity.
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