Over three billion people watched the 2014 FIFA Soccer World Cup, making it the most watched sporting event around the world With world population and access to technology only growing, that number is exclusively expected to increase.

The 2018 Russia World Cup is just around the corner. Unfortunately for the U.S.A., the men’s soccer team lost any chances of attending due to their loss against Trinidad on October 10.

In Europe, the typical soccer-predominant teams have already qualified, such as Germany, France, Portugal, Spain and England.

However, several last-minute games changed the complete outcome of the qualifying teams. Chile, who was expected to take up one of the spots for the qualifying South American teams, lost to Brazil in the last round, and Argentina, who was not expected to qualify right away, won against Ecuador which put them at an advantage over Chile.

Argentina’s- and arguably the world’s- biggest soccer star figure is Lionel Messi, or, as he is commonly referred, the “Messi-Ah”. Scoring three goals on the same date, he is now able to bring his home country to Russia next year.

The middle-aged footballer grew up in the interior of Argentina, yet today he is able to help out several charitable foundations around the world, as well as his own family back home in Argentina.

With nothing but a good heart and compassion, Messi motivates young kids around the world. This was shown, for example, in 2016, when Messi met a young Afghan boy wearing a blue and white plastic bag as a shirt with the professional’s name on the back. The little boy was shown refusing to leave Messi’s side.

Messi also holds his own foundation, which currently he is using to raise money for Barcelona hospital, SJD Pediatric Cancer Center. Although this represents a small project carried out, the overall goal of the foundation is to promote and encourage equality of opportunity among children around the world.