Soccer star Messi, familiarly (3)
I believe the answer is:
leo
'soccer star messi familiarly' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for leo that I've seen before include "Zodiacal lion" , "of pride" , "Singer-songwriter Sayer, b. 1949" , "Lion constellation" , "Name taken by 13 popes, the last dying in 1903 aged 93" .)