Lionel Messi is 25 years old and has achieved almost everything possible for a world-class soccer player. Now he will get a movie made about his rise to fame and fortune.
According to numerous reports, Epic Pictures will produce the film which is slated for a 2014 release date. The studio has reportedly purchased the rights to the biography Messi: The Inside Story of the Boy Who Became a Legend by Luca Caioli; the film will be based on the book.
Epic's Patrick Ewald and Shaked Berenson are hoping to release the movie in time for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
"The goal is to make a powerful and positive film that will leave audiences feeling inspired to go after their dreams no matter how impossible they may seem," said Ewald.
Messi's life is quite astonishing. At age 11, he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency. Argentinean squad River Plate displayed no interest in paying for Messi's treatments; fortunately FC Barcelona was willing to cover the youngster's medical needs on the condition that he move to Spain. Messi supposedly signed his contract on a paper napkin and made the historic move.
In 245 matches for Los Cules, Messi has scored 215 goals. He has won the coveted Ballon D'Or the last four years and scored a record 92 goals in all competitions in 2012. He has led Barcelona to five Spanish league titles, three Champions League titles, and two Copa Del Rey victories. Barcelona and Messi are on the verge of winning the 2013 Spanish league title; it would be Messi's sixth time winning the championship with Barcelona.
With Argentina, Messi won the 2008 Gold Medal and the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2005.