Little People, BIG DREAMS: Leo Messi

Part of the bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, Leo Messi tells the inspiring story of a young boy from Argentina who became one of the world's greatest soccer players.

In this book from the highly acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Leo Messi, one of the world's most skilled and celebrated soccer players.

As a child, Leo developed his passion for soccer 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, Newell's Old Boys – who famously won every tournament whilst Leo was with them. But life wasn't 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 soccer player in history, and won 4 trophies with Argentina's national football team, including the 2022 World Cup, where he captained the team to victory. Messi's next chapter will be spent training under the Florida sunshine, having joined the U.S. team Inter Miami CF.

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 children's charity. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of Messi's incredible story.

Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, born in Barcelona, Spain, is a writer and creative director in constant search of new concepts for children’s books and the author of the multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series of picture books that explore the lives of outstanding people. Working for more than fifteen years for clients in top advertising agencies, her books combine creativity with learning, aiming to establish a new and fresh relationship between children and pop culture. ​