Lionel Andrés “Leo” Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He serves as the captain of his country’s national football team

Distinguished Swiss watch-makers Audemars Piguet have created a limited edition timepiece in hour of Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi – widely considered the world’s greatest living player.

Limited to just 500 pieces, the Leo Messi Royal Oak chronograph is the latest in the watch brand’s Royal Oak collection

At the age of 13, Leo Messi crossed the Atlantic from his home country Argentina to join the Under 14s in Barcelona. Thanks to his hard work and passion for the game, he made spectacular progress at each of the different age levels, making his debut in an official match with the first team in record time in October 2004 as he was only 17. In the 2008/09 season, after the departure of Ronaldinho, Messi inherited the prestigious number 10 jersey, a turning point in his career, and became the main star of the show. Since then, Leo Messi is the reigning World Football Player of the Year, an award he has received to acknowledge his achievements for the last four consecutive years. In May 2013, he celebrated with his teammates his 6th Spanish league title in the streets of Barcelona. He holds several goal scoring records and is notably the all-time top goal scorer for his club.