Lionel Messi

Lionel Andrés Messi 24 June 1987 is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for Barcelona and the Argentine national team. Considered one of the best football players of his generation and frequently cited as the world's best contemporary player, Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21 and won both by the age of 22. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi his "successor." Lionel Messi began playing football at a young age and his potential was quickly identified by Barcelona. He left Rosario-based Newell's Old Boys's youth team in 2000 and moved with his family to Europe, as Barcelona offered treatment for his growth hormone deficiency. Making his debut in the2004–05 season, he broke the La Liga record for the youngest footballer to play a league game, and also the youngest to score a league goal. Major honours soon followed as Barcelona won La Liga in Messi's debut season, and won a double of the league and Champions League in 2006. His breakthrough season was in 2006–07; he became a first team regular, scoring a hat-trick in El Clásico and finishing with 14 goals in 26 league games. Perhaps his most successful season was the 2008–09 season, in which Messi scored 38 goals to play an integral part in a treble-winning campaign.

Messi was the top scorer of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship with six goals, including two in the final game. Shortly thereafter, he became an established member of Argentina's senior international team. In 2006, he became the youngest Argentine to play in the FIFA World Cup and he won a runners-up medal at the Copa América tournament the following year. In 2008, in Beijing, he won his first international honour, an Olympic gold medal, with the Argentina Olympic football team.

Photos Carles Puyol

Carles Puyol

Carles Puyol born 13 April 1978 is a Catalan footballer who plays with FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team.
Mainly a central defender, he can also appear on either flanks, especially as a right back. He also serves as a longtime team captain, after taking over from Luis Enrique in August 2004.

Club career

Born in La Pobla de Segur, Province of Lleida, Catalonia, Puyol started playing football for his hometown club, as a goalkeeper. However, after injury problems with his shoulder, he switched to striker. In 1995, he moved to join FC Barcelona's youth team, switching positions again, to play as a defensive midfielder. In 1997, Puyol stepped up to play for the club's B-team, occupying the position of right back.
In 1999, then coach Louis van Gaal promoted Puyol to the first team. He made his first division debut on 2 October 1999, at Real Valladolid, in a 2–0 win. After that, he successfully made another reconversion, now to central defender; he was awarded "Best European right back" award by UEFA in 2002 and "Best European centre back" in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Puyol was also awarded the "UEFA Club Best Defender" trophy in 2006.
Puyol was first chosen as the captain of Barcelona at the end of the 2003–04 season, after the retirement of Luis Enrique. On 16 September 2008, he made his 400th appearance in all competitions for Barça's first team in a UEFA Champions League match against Sporting Clube de Portugal.

International career

Puyol won his first Spanish cap on 15 November 2000 against the Netherlands, and remained a regular fixture ever since. He played for the nation at the 2000 Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2004, 2006 World Cup, Euro 2008 and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.
At Euro 2008, Puyol started throughout the vast majority of the competition, as the defensive backline only conceded two goals in five games, in an eventual final win against Germany. He was named in the Team of the Tournament with defensive partner Carlos Marchena of Valencia CF.
Puyol started three out of five games at the 2009 Confederations Cup, and captained the team when Iker Casillas was rested for the last group stage match. As Spain finished third, he and three other teammates were named in the Team of the Tournament.