The mayor of San Pedro Sula, Roberto Contreras, confirmed historic news for football in Honduras and Central America: Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will be in the industrial city on February 8 to play an exciting match against Club Olimpia at the Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano.
“Attention, San Pedro Sula! Attention, Honduras! Attention, Central America and the world! On Saturday, February 8, the long-awaited match between Olimpia and Inter Miami will take place, with the presence of Leo Messi,” Contreras expressed with enthusiasm this Monday.
The mayor invited fans to buy their tickets in advance to secure a place at this great show: “You can buy your tickets now and make reservations if you are coming from abroad.”
Contreras stressed that the event will be “a great spectacle for all participants”, not only because of the quality of the game, but also the opportunity to see Messi in action. “The city of San Pedro Sula welcomes Lionel Messi and Inter Miami,” he added.
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This friendly match will mark an important milestone in the history of Honduran football by welcoming a player of Messi’s caliber, who revolutionized world football with his talent and achievements. The Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano will be the venue for this historic sporting event, which promises to be a celebration for sports fans in the region.
Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini was born on June 24, 1987 (age 36) in Rosario, Argentina. In his neighborhood, rumors circulated that a little boy was able to keep the ball glued to his feet and score goals with unprecedented ease. Today, at 1.69 meters, the boy from Rosario is the footballer who has won the most titles in the history of sport.
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He started playing at local club Grandoli at the age of 6, motivated by his grandmother. His unstoppable champion spirit quickly stood out, and it wasn’t long before he signed with Newell’s Old Boys a few months later. His spectacular technique allowed him to shine from the start in the youth team.
Messi was also part of the team known as ‘La Máquina del 87’, which stood out as the best youth team at Newell’s due to the number of goals they scored.
In 1997, due to his shorter height compared to his peers and siblings, Messi’s parents took him to a doctor. He was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency and began costly treatment for his family.
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Looking for a solution to finance his hormone treatment and support Leo’s sporting development, his father took him for a trial at River Plate. With just a few touches, he caught the attention of coaches, but the transfer was not possible due to disagreements with Newell’s.
At the age of 12, after Newell’s Old Boys refused to fund his treatment, Messi traveled to Barcelona with his father for a trial at the Camp Nou. After seeing him, FC Barcelona decided to sign him and finance his treatment.
Although there were difficulties with some of the club’s management, a first contract was eventually signed on a napkin during a conversation in a cafe. A month later, the official contract arrived, and the whole family left Rosario to settle in Spain and support Leo.
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Messi made his debut with the Argentina national team in 2005 and is currently the team captain. He played 175 matches and scored 103 goals. His first FIFA World Cup appearance came in Germany 2006, where he played three matches and scored his first goal in the competition.
Two years later, after negotiations with FC Barcelona, Messi participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, playing for the Argentine national team. He played six matches in total, scoring goals against Ivory Coast and the Netherlands. He assisted Di María for the goal that secured victory in the tournament final.
Along with promising Argentine footballers such as Sergio Agüero, Fernando Gago and Javier Mascherano, Messi won the championship and brought the Olympic gold medal to his country. In 2010, Messi participated in his second FIFA World Cup in South Africa, this time under the leadership of Maradona. Messi played all the matches as a starter, but he was unable to score. Argentina was eliminated in the quarter-final by Germany.
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His third World Cup saw him captain the Albiceleste team at Brazil 2014. They reached the final, facing Germany, and suffered a 1–0 defeat. Messi was named “Man of the Match” four times and received the “Ballon d’Or” award at the end of the tournament.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, he played four matches before being eliminated by France in the round of 16. With four World Cups under his belt at that point, he came close to the trophy, but it again eluded him during his prosperous career.
Lionel Messi’s achievements and his moment of glory
Among the titles he has won with FC Barcelona are 10 La Liga championships, eight Spanish Super Cups, seven Copa del Rey titles, and four UEFA Champions League titles. In total, he played 778 matches, scored 672 goals, and provided 303 assists for the team.
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Additionally, throughout his career, he received individual honors such as the “Ballon d’Or” seven times, the “Golden Shoe” six times, and the Laureus award twice. He has also been named “Best Player” by FIFA and “The Best” several times.
In July 2021, with the Argentina national team, Messi won his first “official” title by winning the CONMEBOL Copa América in Brazil. A goal from Ángel Di María against the hosts gave the Albiceleste a title they had not won since 1993.
In August of the same year, Messi left FC Barcelona after more than 20 years at the club and signed with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France. In his first season, he helped the team win Ligue 1.
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In June 2022, Messi won another title with Argentina by winning the “Finalissima” against Italy. This trophy pitted the European champion against the winner of the Copa América. In December 2022, Messi played his fifth FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he led the Argentina national team to victory against France in a penalty shootout. Messi won the World Cup “Golden Ball” for the second time and finished the tournament with seven goals, three assists, in addition to five “Man of the Match” awards.
After conquering the World Cup, Messi spent the remainder of his second season in Paris and again helped the club win the Champions Trophy and Ligue 1. After two years at the club, the player was confirmed at the start of June 2023. that he was leaving France. Messi finished his time at PSG with 75 matches, 32 goals, 35 assists, and three titles.
In June 2023, Messi announced his transfer to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS), marking a new chapter in his football career. In his first season in Miami, alongside Tata Martino, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, he managed to lead the club to its first title, winning the 2023 Leagues Cup.
The following season, the Argentine striker lifted another trophy with the club after winning the Supporters Shield as the best team in the regular season with a record points total in MLS history. He also surpassed Leonardo Campana as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.
With the Argentina national team, he won his second Copa América in 2024, beating Colombia 1–0 in the final.
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