Even at the age of five, Lionel Messi stood out as an astonishing player. Relocating from Argentina to Barcelona at the age of just 13, he was ready to take the world by storm. But being the foundation of a great Barcelona squad brings its pressures too, especially when the manager chooses to build his team around you.

This biography is one of the titles in Ransom's Tales from the Pitch series. These books offer a fresh take on the familiar football biography format.

Each of these fast-moving reads focuses on one football superstar: some players who are still to reach the summit of their career, and others who are already at the top of their game. These are exhilarating reads about players from all walks of life. Many have faced failure, injury and rejection, to ultimately make their dreams come true and have inspirational stories.

So meet the footballers behind the iconic tackles and goals, and find out what makes each of these players so special.