Great footballers through the ages have received multiple nicknames. The nicknames are mostly based on their playing style, characteristics, and behavior. Lionel Messi is often known as the ‘GOAT’ to some and ‘La Pulga’ to some fans.
Lionel Messi’s nickname ‘La Pulga’ means ‘The Atomic Flea’ in English. He is called ‘The Atomic Flea’ due to his build and playing style. He’s fast, super agile, and drops his shoulders to beat several defenders with ease. More than 15 years after his debut in the Catalan colors Messi has scored so many goals with his unreal body balance and poise.
Since his childhood anywhere and everywhere he played, he has been the smallest player on the pitch. He was only 3 feet 6 inches when he was 9. His height, however, proved to be an unfair advantage for him. His teammates were all taller and older than him, but nobody could shake the ball off his feet. Defenders surround him from everywhere, but somehow he manages to come out with the ball from the smallest of spaces.
How did Lionel Messi get his nickname?
In 2005, Lionel Messi scored several goals by floating on the pitch for Barcelona. An Argentine journalist named him ‘Pulguita’ or ‘The Little Flea’. However, Messi’s brothers called him a little flea because of his small stature and playing style.
He has always played against tall opposition defenders, who tried to overpower him with strength. But his gifted ability to cruise through the tightest of spaces always set him apart. Apart from his innate agility and goalscoring instincts, he has an incredible eye for a pass. His unreal vision can pick out such passes that a normal set of human eyes can never imagine.
He started to score more goals and help Barcelona win matches singlehandedly. ‘The Little Flea’ or Flea didn’t sound very flattering anymore. His ability to bounce off the players and place those shots perfectly in the bottom corner became a frequent scenario. His nickname evolved to ‘La Pulga’ or ‘The Atomic Flea’ and it stuck around for a long time.
Who are Lionel Messi’s brothers and what do they do?
The Argentine superstar has two elder brothers ahead of him who are very little known. Rodrigo Messi is the oldest brother of Matias and Lionel Messi. Rodrigo Messi is 7 years older than Lionel and he is a Sports Businessman.
Matias Messi is 40 years old and is a controversial personality. Matias has been riddled with several legal charges throughout the years. He has been charged with carrying an unlicensed weapon and assaulting police officers. He came to light for mocking Cristiano Ronaldo on Twitter and faced backlash from the fans.