BARCELONA, SPAIN: Lionel Messi has been widely regarded as the GOAT (greatest of all time) of the modern era of football over the years. However, his road to success was marked by several challenges, including a growth hormone deficiency (GHD) diagnosis at the age of 10 which impacted his height. While the Argentine forward established himself as one of the most prominent players in the history of football, he is certainly not the tallest player on the field.
According to The Messi Store, the star footballer was even nicknamed "La Pulga," which translates to "the flea" due to his short stature but high-speed and prolific technique on the football field. It is the same prowess that led to Messi winning a record seven Ballon d'Or awards and six European Golden Shoes in his career. He also won the 2021 Copa America and 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina, and earned a club-record of 34 trophies with FC Barcelona, until leaving the club in 2021 to join PSG.
Messi also holds the record for the most international goals by a South American male (103) and the most number of goals by a player for a single club (672). He has even scored the most goals in La Liga (474), most assists in La Liga (192) and the Copa America (17) as well as the most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions League (eight). Due to the evergreen interets in Messi's life and his history with GHD, one question has often piqued mass interest: How tall is Lionel Messi?
What is Lionel Messi's height?
After the story of Messi's childhood battle with the growth hormone deficiency came to light decades ago, his height became one of the most discussed topics among fans and the media alike. While there has been several speculations about the football star's height over the years, his PSG player profile says that Messi stands approximately 5ft 7 inches tall, which is roughly 170cm.
According to a 2008 Times Online article written by Ian Hawkey, Messi was only 4ft 4 inches tall at the age of 10 and reportedly stopped growing after the age of nine due to his condition. In his 2013 book titled, 'Messi: The Must-read Biography of the World Cup Champion', Guillem Balague wrote that Messi was reportedly the shortest child in his school. Meanwhile, Hawkey revealed in his 2008 article that he had allegedly been kept away from playing soccer with his friends due to his height.
"When you saw him you would think: this kid can't play ball. He's a dwarf, he's too fragile, too small. But immediately you'd realise that he was born different, that he was a phenomenon and that he was going to be something impressive," Newell’s Old Boys youth coach Adrian Coria said while sharing his first impression of Messi for Luca Caioli's 2012 book 'Messi: The Inside Story of the Boy Who Became a Legend.'
Despite the challenges, Messi began showing his brilliant skills, capability and interest in football from the mere age of four. He also eventually managed to become of average height following his GHD diagnosis and treatment.
How did Lionel Messi battle GHD?
Caioli wrote that doctor Diego Schwarsztein first diagnosed Messi with GHD around the age of 10 and allegedly predicted that he would grow to a maximum height of 4ft 7 inches without medical intervention. Messi allegedly began his growth hormone treatment by taking daily HGH injections at the age of 11, Darmouth Education mentioned in its paper titled "Messi's Medical Journey."
However, Messi's father's health insurance could only cover two years of the expensive growth hormone treatment, which cost nearly $1,000 a month. Newell’s Old Boys, the Rosario football club Messi joined at six, reportedly agreed to contribute to his treatment but could not keep their promise, the paper noted. While Messi was eventually scouted by Buenos Aires club River Plate, they allegedly declined to pay for his treatment.
It was Messi's life-changing contract with FC Barcelona, written on a paper napkin by first team director Charly Rexach, that helped him get further treatment for his condition. Alongside Rexach, the club's then-partners, Josep Maria Minguella and Joan Lacueva, endorsed Messi’s treatment plan. With the help of a proper diagnosis and treatment coupled with his talent, persistence and determination, Messi was able to grow up to a height of 5ft 7 inches.
How tall is Lionel Messi’s wife Antonela Roccuzzo?
Due to the longtime interest surrounding Messi's height, his wife Antonela Roccuzzo's height has also sparked interest over the years. According to Body Siz Org., Roccuzzo stands 5ft 2 inches tall, which translates to 157cm. While Messi is not among the tallest soccer players in the world, his wife is not significantly tall either. As per their respective body measurements, Roccuzzo is five inches shorter than Messi. The couple are known for being childhood sweethearts and often grace red carpets and other public events together.
How is Lionel Messi’s height as compared to other footballers?
Messi is also not the shortest player in the field. According to World Data Info, the average height of an Argentine man is around 1.74 metres, which translates to approximately 5ft 8 inches, an inch taller than Messi's current height. The former Barca star's height is often compared to the likes of other prominent footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo and the late Diego Maradona.
While former El Classico rival Ronaldo is visibly taller than Messi with a height of 6ft 1in, fellow Argentine Maradona was three inches shorter than Messi and stood 5ft 5in tall. Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah's height has also been compared to Messi in the past. With a height of 5ft 8 inches, Salah is just an inch taller than Messi.
