The real story behind Sofascore
Sofascore is a live score platform created in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2010. The founders, Ivan Bešlić and Zlatko Hrkać, wanted more than just results on a screen. They built a platform where fans can explore football statistics, player ratings, and match insights in real time. Today, Sofascore is developed by Sofa IT d.o.o. in Zagreb and used by millions of fans around the world. More than 100 million annually active users to be exact.
Where the Messi rumours started
If you spend enough time on forums, Reddit, or X, you’ve probably seen this claim: “Messi’s father owns Sofascore.”
The idea popped up because Lionel Messi often earns high ratings on the platform. Some fans turned that into a theory that his family must be secretly behind the company.
Entertaining? Yes.
True? Not at all.
The fact is simple: The only thing Messi has ever influenced here are his own numbers on the pitch – not Sofascore’s ownership papers.
Fun fact: why Messi fuels the myth
To be fair to the internet detectives, we understand where the confusion comes from. The perfect Sofascore Rating of 10 is extremely rare – only about 1 in 3000 players ever achieve it. Unless, of course, your name is Lionel Messi. In that case, it happens around once every 12 matches.
So when fans (and his haters) see Messi collect perfect ratings more often than most players collect yellow cards, they start connecting dots. But the explanation is far less mysterious: that’s just Messi being Messi.
>> How Does Sofascore Rating Work
Why the truth matters
Sofascore’s credibility comes from being independent, data-driven, and transparent. Whether you’re checking a Champions League final or a second-division derby, the Sofascore ratings are calculated the same way. No family ties, no favoritism, no secret handshakes.
The final whistle
So what is Sofascore? A global platform built in Zagreb, trusted by millions, and known for its detailed football statistics. And what it isn’t? A family business in Rosario. Messi may own defenders week after week, but he does not own Sofascore.
