Some know him as Leo, others as “The Little Magician.” Many call him the GOAT.
Any way you slice it, though, it’s hard not to notice Lionel Messi on the pitch. He wades through outstretched defenses with ease, an amoeba on the world stage. Messi is the greatest player ever. He’s also one of the most aesthetically pleasing.
Speaking of the diminutive dazzler, Messi has earned plenty of plaudits — and nicknames — over the course of his sparkling career. But few roll off the tongue as smoothly as La Pulga or The Flea.
So, why was the soccer phenom billed with such a etymologically sound nickname? The Sporting News details the fact and fiction behind one of world football’s greatest ever monikers.
MORE: Lionel Messi 2022 World Cup stats and history
Lionel Messi nickname, explained
With eye-catching agility, an innate ability to get the ball on his left foot and a passing repertoire like few others across the beautiful game, Messi has been a footballing celebrity ever since he started turning out for Barcelona as a teenager.
His bug-related nickname goes back even further, though. Messi has aways been tiny — as a child, he had to receive injections because of a deficiency in human growth hormone.
Despite being towered over by hulking figures at a young age, Messi still was an artist with the ball at his foot. And his older brothers took notice, calling him La Pulgita — the little flea — as a child.
La Pulgita soon became La Pulga over the years. And as Messi continued terrorizing defenders, first in Argentina then across the planet, that name stuck.
Some Spanish publications have taken to adding atomica in an effort to describe Messi’s superhuman-like ability to squeeze through the fault lines of opposition defense.
Either way, whether you call him La Pulga, Messi or something else, one thing is clear: He is the greatest to ever play the beautiful game with his 2022 World Cup win cementing that fact in the eyes of many.
? The GOAT debate is settled. The ultimate prize is now part of the collection. The legacy is complete.
On the day @Argentina won their third #FIFAWorldCup, Leo Messi is your @Budweiser Player of the Match. ?
?? #ARGFRA ?? #POTM #YoursToTake #BringHomeTheBud @budfootball pic.twitter.com/4wAQD2pSyt
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 18, 2022