Lionel Messi

Lore & Background

Messi's club career began with Barcelona, where he rose through the youth ranks, making his first-team debut in 2004. During his tenure, Barcelona secured ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Reys, four UEFA Champions Leagues, seven Supercopa de Españas, three UEFA Super Cups, and three FIFA Club World Cups, and Messi became the club's all-time top scorer. In 2021, due to club financial constraints and league regulations, Messi left Barcelona and signed with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Joining forces with fellow superstars Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, he won two Ligue 1 titles and one Trophée des Champions.

Reader's Guide

Messi's early career at Barcelona saw him rise through the youth ranks, making his first-team debut in 2004. During the 2004–05 season, he was a guaranteed starter for the Barcelona B team, playing 17 games and scoring six goals. He made his La Liga debut on 16 October 2004 against Espanyol, becoming at 17 the youngest player to represent Barcelona in an official competition. He scored his first senior goal on 1 May 2005, becoming the youngest-ever scorer for the club at the time. Barcelona won the league for the first time in six years. After signing his first senior contract on his 18th birthday in 2005, Messi gradually established himself as the first-choice right winger, forming an attacking trio with Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o. During the 2006–07 season, he scored 17 goals in 36 games across all competitions. On 10 March 2007, he scored his first hat-trick in a Clásico, the first player to do so in 12 years. On 18 April, in a Copa del Rey match against Getafe, he ran 60 metres with the ball, beating five defenders before scoring in a similar fashion to Maradona's Goal of the Century. Under Pep Guardiola in the 2008–09 season, Messi scored 38 goals in 51 games, contributing alongside Eto'o and Thierry Henry to a total of 100 goals in all competitions. He played as a false nine for the first time on 2 May 2009, scoring twice in a 6–2 victory over Real Madrid. Barcelona achieved the first treble in the history of Spanish football, winning La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League. At 22 years old, Messi won the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award, each by the largest voting margin in history.

Did You Know?

• He has won 46 team trophies, making him the most decorated player in the history of professional football.
• Messi broke Argentina's 28-year international trophy drought by captaining the team to victory in the 2021 Copa América.
• Messi became Barcelona's all-time top scorer during his tenure at the club.