F
Flavia
Guest
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/interactive-timeline-ten-years-since-leo-messi-s-debut
October 16, 2004
Official debut
Almost one year after his first official match, Leo faces RCD Espanyol for the first time, coming on for Deco in the second half at the Olympic Stadium.
May 1, 2005
First official goal versus Albacete
Playing Albacete at the Camp Nou, Leo and Ronaldinhhino combine on a magical give and go for Messi’s first official goal. After receiving the pass just outside the penalty area, he placed the ball over the opposing goalkeeper in a moment of sheer beauty.
November 5, 2005
First goal in the Champions League
His first goal came in a 5-0 Barça victory over Panathinaikos. Leo breaks down the Greek defence, complacent too near the goal. Messi steals the ball and gets away from two defenders on his way to the net. The keeper is helpless against Leo’s natural instincts.
March 11, 2007
Hat-trick in La Liga against Real Madrid
With Madrid playing some of its best football of the season, Leo nets three to earn a draw for Barça. He becomes the first to score three goals in El Clasico. He won’t be the last.
April 17, 2007
‘Maradonian’ goal at Getafe
In the Spanish cup, Messi performs a carbon copy of one of Diego Maradona’s most famous goals, scored in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Leo dribbles around at the least five opposing players and gets one of the most famous goals in football history.
May 13, 2009
Spanish Cup Final: FCB v Athletic Club Bilbao
After three years with no titles, FC Barcelona wins its first championship of the Pep Guardiola era. Messi scores one goal in Barça’s 4-1 victory, ushering in what was to become the most decorated era in Club history.
May 16, 2009
Winning La Liga in 2008-09
Barça reclaims the La Liga title with Messi on the rise. His 23 goals put him third among Liga leaders, and second among FC Barcelona players behind Samuel Eto’o.
May 27, 2009
Champions League final in Rome
The Argentinian superstar scores the second goal of the match versus Manchester United, sealing Barça’s 2-0 victory with an unstoppable header.
December 1, 2009
First Balon d’Or
In the final Balon d’Or awarded by France Football magazine, Messi is chosen as the world’s best player. He’ll win three more times, but this one came after previously being a finalist and is a watershed moment for a player who, in time, will go on to break almost every individual record in football.
December 19, 2009
Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi
The sixth title of the Guardiola era becomes a stage for Messi yet again. He scores twice in the tournament, one of them being the decisive game winner in the final versus Estudiantes of La Plata. The goal gave Barça its first world title and Leo is named Player of the Tournament, solidifying himself as the world’s best.
January 16, 2010
Historic milestone: 100 goals
Against Sevilla FC at the Camp Nou, Messi scores his 100th and 101st two goals. The first comes after a cross from Alves that Pedro can’t finish. Messi does manage to get to it and puts it past Palop.
August 21, 2010
Hat-trick versus Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup
Three unreal goals in Barça's 4-0 victory. The third is his 130th career tally, tying Rivaldo and Eto’o. The first comes off a pass from Xavi from midfield. The second is from an Alves pass after which Leo breaks down the defence, adding insult to injury.
October 20, 2010
Ties Rivaldo as top Barça scorer in European competitions
Leo gets two goals for the annals of Club history. Against FC Copenhagen in the Champions League, he ties Rivaldo with two scores. The first is what dreams are made of, with a bullet from outside the area. The second comes from closer in.
November 24, 2010
The 150th goal in his 232nd game
The 5-1 rout of Panathinaikos is a team effort and Messi leads with two goals, giving him 150 in his career. He gets alone on the left and takes a Xavi pass to the goal. The second sees him dribble through defenders who can do nothing to stop him. He also has two assists and brings an aura of offense to the game, personifying the greatest Barça’s touch and imagination.
January 10, 2011
Second Balon d’Or
Messi wins the award for the second year in a row in the first year that it is awarded jointly by FIFA and France Football. This year Barça turns the ceremony red and blue, with Messi at the top, Xavi second, and Iniesta third in the voting, a total triumph for the team and their style.
April 27, 2011
Messi lights up Santiago Bernabéu
His two second half goals in the intense Champions League semi-final give Barça a 2-0 victory and have them on the cusp of the final, this time at Wembley. The second goal sees him pick apart the entire Madrid defence for another historic moment.
May 28, 2011
Champions League final at Wembley
Just like in 1992, Barça is back at Wembley, the Mount Olympus of football. The team is today’s spectacle, but Messi is the star of the show, even with just a lone goal. He leads the team as they paint beauty on the pitch. His goal is another back breaker, a long-range shot that puts the nail in the coffin for a 3-1 Barça win. The team is now considered the greatest in Club history.
August 26, 2011
2011 European Super Cup
One month after being named ‘Patrimoni Esportiu de la Humanitat’ and best player in Europe, Leo got his first European Super Cup goal, scoring just before the half and leading Barça to a 2-0 win and yet another title.
September 28, 2011
Another milestone
His two goals against FC Bate Borisov of Belarus in the Champions League tie him with Barça legend Laszlo Kubala for second on the Club’s all time scoring list.
November 1, 2011
Surpasses the 200 goal mark
Another hat-trick, this time versus Czech side FC Viktoria Plzeň, not only gives Barça the win but, more importantly, sees him reach 200 for his career.
December 18, 2011
Club World Cup versus Santos in Japan
In the final, FC Barcelona once again show their prowess. With Guardiola behind the bench and with Messi as great as ever, the team shows who is king in a 4-0 dismantling of Santos of Brazil. Leo scores twice and is the elected tournament MVP.
January 15, 2012
Third Balon d’Or
For the third straight year and with 47.88% of the votes, Messi is once again named the world’s best player. He is now cemented in history as the first player ever to win three in a row, this time having won by an enormous margin. Before the next match versus Betis, Leo thanks the fans.
February 6, 2012
Front cover Time magazine: 'King Leo'
Messi is so popular that he even featured on the cover of one of America’s most prestigious magazines, Time. In a report by Bobby Gosh on the February 6, 2012 issue, Leo explained the secret of his success. “I have grown and improved each year. I was lucky enough to start young and always be surrounded by the best footballers.
March 7, 2012
Explosion in the Champions League
Messi has no limit. After losing in la Liga to Sporting Gijón, he wants revenge. And Bayer Leverkusen is the one to pay, as Leo catches fire with five goals in a 7-1 trouncing of the Germans.
March 20, 2012
FC Barcelona all-time goal leader
It seemed tough to beat, a milestone reserved for legends. Messi is one of them and, without a doubt, one of the greatest in FC Barcelona history. Another hat trick, this time against Granada FC in a 5-3 win took him past Cesar to the top of Barça’s all-time list with 235 goals, a figure that seems almost impossible to overcome.
December 22, 2012
91 goals in a calendar year
A goal at Valladolid is the last feat in another record-breaking year, as Messi scores his 91st in 2012, breaking the previous record of 85 by ‘Torpedo’ Müller. Leo scored 79 for Barça and 12 with Argentina.
January 7, 2013
Messi owns the Balon d’Or
He now has won the award a record four times, and consecutively. The world is agape as he is once again recognized, as if it were even necessary, as the best of the best.
January 13, 2013
Record first half of the season 2012-13
With 28 goals, he becomes the top scorer in the first half of La Liga in history.
February 16, 2013
300 goals
Two more goals in a 2-1 wins versus Granada give him 300 for his career, a staggering feat. He has scored in 14 straight games.
May 11, 2013
The 100-point La Liga
It is the best first half of La Liga in Club history, with 55 points out of 57 possible. The team clinches La Liga with four games remaining, with Tito Vilanova’s team achieving 100 points. Messi, with 46 goals, is again the top scorer in La Liga.
January 7, 2014
Goal after injury
A left thigh injury suffered on 10 November, 2013 keeps him out until the Spanish Cup against Getafe. He comes back with the eye of the tiger and scores twice in the first half hour to put the game out of reach.
March 16, 2014
Surpasses Paulino Alcántara
Messi has few challenges left, but manages to beat one of them: Paulino Alcántara’s record of 369 goals scored by a Barça player across all competitions. Alcántara scored 369 times in 357 games (142 in official matches and 227 in friendlies), from 1912 to1927.
March 23, 2014
Hat trick at Bernabéu
Three more tallies give Messi 11 scored against Real Madrid, passing Alfredo Di Stéfano as the top all-time scorer in El Clasicos and into second place on the all time La Liga scoring list.
October 4, 2014
Two goals away from Telmo Zarra’s record
In Barça’s most recent match, Leo scores again, bringing him ever closer to Telmo Zarra’s 251 goals scored for Athletic Club Bilbao. Messi just keeps going, and going, and shows it every time he steps onto the pitch.
Marvellous ten years. We are very lucky to be able to witness all this. They even forgot he already reached the 400th goals mark!
