Messi's Beginnings
At the end of the 20th century, Barça began one of the worst stages in its history. Its emblem Luis Figo he had gone to his eternal rival, and Joan Gaspart was trying to resurrect a project that would end 5 years of title drought.
At the same time, in Rosario (Argentina), a small boy broke the nets and waists of his rivals. Lionel Messi played in the youth teams Newells's, and his talent was as evident as his growth problems. He was barely five feet tall, and from the age of 11, he had to undergo a painful and expensive injection treatment, which he himself learned to give himself.
Messi's Signing for Barcelona (2000)
Once the financial aid for his medication ended, the Messi family knocked on the doors of other clubs in search of support. The cost of his injections stopped his signing for River and him September 17, 2000 Leo Messi arrived in Barcelona to do a test.
In just 5 minutes of training, Carles Rexach was convinced of his signing, and Messi's first contract was signed on a napkin. On January 8, 2001, the man from Rosario was officially a Barça player.
Little Leo's enthusiasm was overwhelming, but his beginnings in Barcelona could not have been worse. The Argentine attacker he fractured his fibula in his second game with the Barça youth team, and he had to lose the rest of the season.
Fortunately, the injury left no consequences, and Messi continued to forge his legend at La MasÃa. The Argentine's rise was meteoric, making his centimeters and goal tally grow, breaking all the records of the lower categories and becoming Barça's great hope for the future. His name was beginning to be known in the club's locker rooms and hallways.
Debut with Rijkaard
After playing for 4 years in 6 categories, Rijkaard called him up to play a friendly in Porto, and on November 16, 2003, Messi debuted with the first team. He was only 16 years old and wore a gold shirt, like the era he would mark for the Barça team.
In 2004-2005, Messi made his debut in the first team in a derby against Espanyol, and, at just over 17 years old, he became the youngest player to make his debut for Barça. In the shadow of Eto'o and Ronaldinho, Messi took his first steps in the elite, and on May 1, 2005, he scored his first goal thanks to a pass from the Brazilian gen
Explosion in the Gamper
The tough competition in attack meant that he was about to go on loan to Espanyol, but his performance at Gamper against Juventus convinced everyone that a star had been born. The youth player left the Camp Nou applauded, which for the first time chanted Messi's name.
Fabio Capello: «I have never seen a player with such quality with his age. He has everything. I love»
Golden Boy
The explosion of the Argentine star that night meant that Barça had to improve his contract and accelerate his nationalization as a Spaniard. La Faa was sponsored by the heavyweights of the locker room. He established himself in the first team and even started in the famous team Classic of applause for Ronaldinho at the Bernabéu.
That 2005-2006 season, he was awarded as the best young player in the world. He played 17 games and scored 6 goals, but his injury against Chelsea kept him from playing in the final champions in Paris.
Emulating Maradona
Messi faced 2006-2007 as the undisputed starter for the European champion, and although he was injured again for 3 months, he returned to make history. On March 11, 2007, he scored his first hat trick in the Classic against Real Madrid, and shortly after, it marked an unforgettable one goal against Getafe in the Cup semifinals
The Argentine emulated the goal of Maradona against England in Mexico 86, and after escaping from half the rival team, he completed a work of art only available to the chosen ones.
Weeks later, Messi scored a goal with his hand, for which they once again compared him to Pelusa, but, unfortunately for him, Barça finished the season without titles
Explosion in the Guardiola Era
With Ronaldinho's performance in free fall, Rijkaard's cycle ended, and with the arrival of Pep Guardiola on the culé bench, Messi took over as a reference
Already with the "10" on his back, Leo left his muscle injuries behind, and in the 2008-2009 season, he exploded as a scorer. La Faa scored 38 in 51 games and left exhibitions in Spain and Europe that made him the best player in the world.
Guardiola's Barça it was the best team on the planet, and in its first appearance as false nine, Messi put together the cue at the Bernabéu. That historic night, Leo, he scored 2 goals to Real Madrid and him Barça won 2-6 to secure the League championship.
After beating Athletic 4-1 in the Cup final, Messi was crowned in Rome as the emperor of football and with an iconic header goal against Manchester United, certified Barça's 3rd European Cup.
The culés won the first Triplet in their history and closed a magical 2009 by winning the European Super Cup, the Spanish Super Cup, and the Club World Cup. Messi culminated a magical season with a chest goal in extra time against Estudiantes de La Plata, and Barça made history by being the first team in the world to complete the Sextet.
Explosion in the Guardiola Era
Lionel had crowned the top of the greatest, and on December 1, 2009, he was awarded the first Ballon d'Or of his career. The Messi phenomenon was unstoppable, and the numbers of his goals and assists continued to grow.
After being decisive in another League title with his first Pichichi, the Argentine returned to play memorable games in 2010-2011 and starred in one titanic competition with Cristiano Ronaldo for being the best in the world.
Executioner of Mourinho's Madrid
In the first Clásico against Mourinho's Real Madrid, Messi's Barça won 5-0, and although the Argentine did not score, he gave a display of football, two assists and unstoppable rides.
The culés' swim that night generated unbearable tension between Real Madrid and Barcelona, who in the decisive phase of the season played for all 3 titles in 4 almost consecutive Class
With a draw in the capital, Barça secured the League but shortly after would lose the Copa del Rey at Mestalla. The aggressiveness of both teams exploded in the Champions League semi-finals, where Messi was in charge of deciding the Clásicos war with two decisive goals at the Bernabéu.
In the Wembley final, Guardiola's men once again overcame Manchester United, and at the beginning of the second half, Messi decided the match with an unstoppable whip.
The Barça star won another Champions League with Barça and confirmed his hegemony as King of football by raising his third consecutive Ballon d'Or.
A Messi of Record (2012)
In 2012, Leo continued «on fire» and he had an unrepeatable year in which he broke all records.
Messi's goals continued to fall into the account of the Barça emblem, which ended the season winning its second Pichichi Prize with an unrepeatable figure; 50 goals in 37 games.
He was the top scorer in the Champions League with 14 goals and starred in one unforgettable night where he scored 5 goals against Bayer Leverkusen. Barça seemed on track for the title but fell to Chelsea in an unfortunate tie in which the "Flea" sent a penalty against the crossbar.
Despite everything, the Argentine said goodbye with a trophy and concluded the Guardiola era by scoring a goal and winning the Cup final against Athletic.
At the age of 24, Messi became the top scorer in Barcelona's history, finishing the season with 73 goals and completing a memorable 2012 in which he celebrated 91 goals in 69 games. He won all the individual recognitions such as the Golden Boot and his fourth Ballon d'Or, becoming the most awarded footballer in history.
The League of 100 points (2013)
With Tito Vilanova on the bench, Leo continued 2013 with the same scoring pace. He scored for 19 consecutive days, and he contributed 46 goals to achieving the League of 100 points.
The coach's illness and injuries were noticeable in a declining Barça team in Europe that lost in the Champions League semi-finals by an incredible 7-0 aggregate against Bayern Munich.
Despite his physical problems, Messi was still the best in the world. With 60 goals in all competitions, he finished the campaign as the league's top scorer in Spain and Europe for the second consecutive year, becoming the first player in history to win the European Golden Boot three times.
His First Blank Year (2014)
The 2013-2014 campaign experienced an ordeal under the orders of Tata Martino. Despite the signing of Neymar, the season ended blank. He remained off the field for 2 months due to injury and said goodbye to the season by losing the World Cup final with his national team.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid was beginning to reign in Europe, and the Portuguese won his second consecutive Ballon d'Or, placing himself just one behind the Argentine
The MSN
After the failure of the previous year, Barcelona trusted Luis Enrique as the new coach and reinforced its lead with him signing of Luis Suárez. With the arrival of the Uruguayan, Barça formed one of the best tridents in history, under the nickname the MSN.
The trio of aces scored a total of 122 goals in the season and, with unforgettable performances, won a new treble in the League, Copa del Rey and Champions League. Messi scored 58 goals that season and became the top scorer of all time in the League. The Argentine finished 2015 winning 5 titles and ended the year winning his Fifth Ballon d'Or.
Leo started 2016, reinventing the indirect penalty and shortly after reached 300 goals in the League. He scored 41 goals and won a League and Cup double but was eliminated in the Champions League quarterfinals by Atlético de Madrid.
A year later, along with Neymar and Suárez, Messi starred in the biggest comeback in the history of the Champions League after beating Paris Saint Germain 6-1. Barça smelled of glory, but in the quarterfinals, Barça knelt down against Juve.
That season, Messi could only win the Copa del Rey, but in the individual aspect, he was once again the best scorer in Spain and Europe.
The Valverde Era
For 17-18, Valverde relieved Luis Enrique on the bench, and Neymar broke the MSN idyll by going to Paris.
Despite Bartomeu's poor sporting management, Messi supported Barça and with 45 goals in 54 games, he achieved a new League and Cup double. The season looked outstanding, but a black night in Rome caused a European trauma that still haunts the Catalans.
The Anfield Disaster 2019
With the departure of Iniesta in 2018-2019, Messi assumes the captaincy of Barça and he improves his success in front of goal. He scores 51 goals in 50 games, and for the third consecutive year, he wins the Golden Boot, the sixth of his career.
Barça was nothing to write home about, but Messi's performances that year helped him win the League and his Sixth Ballon d'Or. The Argentine gave a recital in the first leg of the semi-finals by scoring two goals against Liverpool but suffered an unexpected comeback with an incredible 4-0 at Anfield. The Argentine won his sixth Ballon d'Or but continued to bow his head in Europe.
The 2-8 and Messi's Burofax (2020)
After the continental debacle, Barça de Valverde concluded the season by losing the Copa del Rey against Valencia and began the project 19-20 with more doubts than certainties. The Basque coach was fired after a defeat in the Spanish Super Cup, and the arrival of Quique Setién did not improve things.
After the break due to the pandemic, Barça lost the League and left a regrettable image in the coronavirus champions. An unstoppable Bayern passed over the Blaugranas in Lisbon, and after a hurtful one defeat 2-8, Barça ended the campaign without titles and drowned in a tremendous economic and sporting crisis.
That defeat and Bartomeu's mismanagement caused the outbreak of the "Messi case," who communicated, sent a burofax to Barça to inform them that he was no longer a club player. The Argentine wanted to go in search of a more ambitious project, but Bartomeu clung to the fact that the statement was out of time.
Messi's Goodbye
Messi had to stay one more year against his will, but after a hesitant start, he regained his joy under Koeman and with the resignation of Bartomeu. With Laporta as president, the flea led a discreet Barça team that was once again beaten in the Champions League against PSG and finished third in the championship.
The joy of the season came with the Copa del Rey title, scoring two goals in the final against Athletic and lifting their 35th trophy with Barça.
Things seemed to be changing at the club, and Messi had decided to end his career in Barcelona. However, his million dollar renewal was lengthening, and the club's financial problems did not facilitate his continuity.
Messi's contract with Barça expired during the summer and, meanwhile Messi won the Copa America with Argentina, Laporta made numbers to sign an impossible renewal.
On August 5, 2021, FC Barcelona announced that Leo Messi's continuity was unviable for economic reasons and, after 21 years of idyll, Barça and Messi separated their paths
The Legend, Messi
With 778 games behind his back, Messi is the footballer with the most appearances in the history of the culé club, the one who has won the most trophies and the highest scorer in the institution. With 672 goals he is the footballer who has scored the most goals for the same club, where he has won 10 Leagues, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 3 European Super Cups, 3 Club World Cups and 4 Champions Leagues.
The Argentine arrived in Barcelona, signing on a napkin and left crying on a handkerchief. He came like a child who didn't grow up and left like the greatest legend of Barça. A sports myth that lands in Paris to change the history of football again.
For every Barcelona fan, Lionel Messi is the best footballer of all time.