Lionel Messi is leaving Barcelona after contract talks broke down with the Spanish giants due to financial obstacles. The Argentine ace can now move to another club for no fee and he is being linked with both Man City in England and PSG in France. Messi had an outrageous stint with the Catalans – he played 778 games, scored 672 goals, and created 305 assists. He won 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League’s and a record six Ballons d’Or. We take a look back at his best moments with Barca where he spent two decades - there are so many to choose from as he literally created iconic moments every time he pulled on the shirt, but here is our top 10...
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Hat-trick against Real Madrid at age 19: It was Messi's breakthrough game for Barcelona and he became a household name after this. The forward, then just 19, grabbed a brilliant hat-trick and that too against arch-rivals Real Madrid on March 10, 2007 in one of the biggest fixtures in football. Barca were on the verge of a 3-2 defeat but the Argentine magician grabbed a draw for his side by lashing home in the dying seconds of the clash after beating a couple of defenders.
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His greatest goal against Getafe in Copa Del Rey: He has scored, literally, so many amazing goals but this one sticks out the most because it was similar to that incredible solo goal from fellow Argentine legend Diego Maradona against England in 1986. A baby-faced Messi got the ball on the half-way line in Barcelona's clash with Getafe in 2007 in the Copa Del Rey and then danced past several players before finding the net with his weaker right foot. He also jinked his way past the Getafe goalkeeper and showed the world just how amazingly talented he is.
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His first goal in a Champions League final: There used to be a time when people questioned whether he could show his magic against English clubs in Europe because he had failed to score in 10 Champions League appearances against them. But then came the 2009 final where the diminutive forward jumped highest to head home against Man Utd. He scored again against Utd in the final two years later.
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Four goals against Arsenal: For the first time in his career he grabbed four goals and they came against Arsenal on April 6, 2010, in the Champions League quarter-final. His best one was the cheeky chip over Manuel Almunia for his hat-trick but he went one better by getting five in a match against Bayer Leverkusen in a 7-1 win in the last 16 of the competition two years later.
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Breaks Barcelona scoring record: When Barcelona beat Granada 5-3 on March 20, 2012, Messi broke the clubs goal scoring record and he did it in fine style by hitting a hat-trick. The then 24-year-old equalled Cesar Rodriguez's record of 232 goals with his first goal, then he broke it with his second and then extended the record with the third.
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Scores 91 goals in 1 year: It is a feat that does not look like happening again anytime soon, or ever again. In 2012 he broke Gerd Muller's record for most goals in a calendar year by taking his total to 86 with a strike against Real Betis. But then he went on to score five more times to take his record to 91. He was awarded an unprecedented fourth consecutive Ballon d'Or.
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Breaks La Liga scoring record: Barcelona beat Sevilla 5-1 on November 22, 2014 featuring yet another hat-trick from Messi. His first goal meant he equalled Telmo Zarra's 251-goal record. Then he broke it and stretched it with his second and third goals in the game.
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Leaving Jerome Boateng on the Camp Nou turf: It was another candidate for one of his greatest ever goals. Messi’s dancing feet sent Bayern Munich’s German defender Jerome Boateng crashing to the floor before dinking a chip over Manuel Neuer. Seeing Boateng dropping to the ground after being beaten all ends up by Messi rests in football folklore.
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Scores 500th Barcelona goal in El Clasico: Real Madrid were beaten at the Bernabeu 3-2 by Barcelona on 23 April, 2017 and it was Messi's injury strike that sealed the win - but it was also his 500th Barcelona goal. What a time and team to get it against.
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Wins his sixth Ballon d'Or: His record haul awarded to him in December 2019 took him above Ronaldo's total of five. He won it after scoring 54 times for club and country during the 2018-19 season.
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BONUS! Breaks Pele's scoring record: Brazil legend Pele held the record for the most goals for one club - 643 for Santos. But on 22 December, 2020, Real Valladolid were beaten 3-0 and Messi was on the score sheet. It was his 644th goal for Barcelona.
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