Epic Pictures Acquire Rights To Make Lionel Messi Biopic

Lionel Messi is without a shadow of a doubt, the defining player of his generation. With countless individual and team accolades under his belt, all at the tender age of 25, he appears destined to create one of the greatest legacies this game has ever seen; and that's in spite of the problems he faced in his youth. Born in Rosario, Argentina to parents, Jorge Messi (who is now Leo's agent) and Celia Cuccittini, Messi was a small child, and in 1998, when he was just 11 years old, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. His local club could not pay for the treatment, and nor could River Plate, but FC Barcelona offered to pay the bills after Messi completed a successful trial with the club.

The rest as they say, is history. Messi has grown both literally, and as a player, becoming one of the greatest of all-time and his story has served as motivation for many young children who face similar problems - Messi is an inspiration. And this story has been told countless times, but perhaps the greatest account of Messi's rise to prominence was written by renowned sports journalist, Luca Caioli. The book, "Messi: The Inside Story Of The Boy Who Became A Legend" contains interviews with prominent figures in Messi's life (such as his parents and family), and also with some of his colleagues (former coaches at Newell's Old Boys, managers such as Frank Rijkaard and former teammates, such as Pablo Zabaleta and Ginaluca Zambrotta). It's a great read, and now, Epic Pictures have acquired the rights to put Messi's story onto the big screen.

With a planned release date coinciding with next summer's 2014 FIFA World Cup, Epic Pictures CEO Patrick Ewald said that "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."

I for one, cannot wait.