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Lionel Messi’s emergence in world football has been nothing short of magical. The Argentine has mesmerized fans of the beautiful game with his trademark brand of football, his goalscoring prowess, and his bigheartedness.
The 32-year-old is a record six-time Ballon d’Or winner and is the reigning Ballon d’Or holder as well as the Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year winner. He was also awarded the UEFA Club Forward of the Year in 2019, following another record-breaking season where he ended as the top scorer in La Liga as well as in the Champions League, while also winning a record sixth European Golden Shoe. This season, Messi has two goals and three assists to his name in the Champions League and looks set to take the knockout stages by storm once again.
While La Liga has been witness to countless Messi masterclasses, the Argentine has put in outstanding performances in the Champions League too. We now present you his five greatest performances in the premier European competition, all of which, incidentally, are from the knockout stages. But which is Messi’s greatest performance in the UEFA Champions League? Read on to find out.
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#5 Barcelona 4-1 Arsenal, 2010 Quarter-finals
In the 2009-10 season, Barcelona came up against Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the competition. In the first leg, the Catalans could only manage a 2-2 draw at the Emirates, which set up a spectacular second leg at the Camp Nou. Barcelona did have the advantage of two away goals, but in the end, those were of little significance, thanks to the presence of their Argentine wizard.
Still only 22 years old, Messi was already one of the best players in the world at the moment and showed his intent right from the start of the game. He tested Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia early in the game and then sent a delightful curler just over and onto the roof of the Arsenal goal. Barcelona looked set to score but were stunned when Nicklas Bendtner put the visitors ahead in the 18th minute of the game. It gave the Gunners a thin ray of hope and it appeared that an upset was on the cards. Messi, though, had other ideas.
Before Arsenal could settle down and build on their lead, the Argentine had pulled his team back on level terms. Playing a more central role in the second leg, Messi tried to play Xavi in, but his pass was blocked by Mikael Silvestre. However, the ball fell kindly back to Messi, who skipped past the Frenchman and found the back of the net. In the 37th minute, Messi glided past Gael Clichy and scored his second of the night to give his team the lead. It was turning out to be a one-man show by then, but the Argentine was not finished yet.
Just before half time, Messi completed his hat-trick with an outrageous chip and Barcelona were cruising. Half time came at the correct time for the visitors, as they were glad to see the back of their diminutive nemesis. Messi went on to add his fourth of the night in the second half, helping Barcelona win the tie 6-3 on aggregate.
#4 Barcelona 7-1 Bayer Leverkusen, 2012 Round of 16
2012 was a record-breaking year for Messi, as he ended the year with an astonishing 91 goals from 69 games for club and country. Barcelona rode his brilliance and the opposition felt his wrath as the Argentine brushed aside records at will. Bayer Leverkusen were in the line of fire in the Champions League Round of 16 second leg at the Nou Camp, as Messi gave the Bundesliga side a night they, and the rest of the world, would not forget in a hurry.
The Catalans had a 3-1 lead from the first leg, but Pep Guardiola, the then-Barcelona manager was not one to rest on his laurels. He sent his team out with clear instructions to be ruthless and even though the team were not at its free-flowing best in the first half, Messi was on top form. The Argentine gave his team the lead with a trademark left-footed lob after he was sent free on goal by Xavi. He then went on a mazy run to double the score as Barcelona went into the break with a 2-0 lead.
In the second half, Messi kick-started a 13-minute frenzy where the home side scored four times. Messi completed his hat-trick with a right-footed lob before substitute Cristian Tello scored Barcelona’s fourth goal of the night. The Spaniard turned provider for Messi's fifth of the game and then went on to score his second of the night. Messi rounded up his night with a fantastic 20-yard curler to score his fifth, becoming the first player to score five goals in a Champions League game.
#3 Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona, 2011 Semi-finals
A list of greatest Messi performances in the UEFA Champions League cannot be complete without a mention of El Clasico. In the 2010-11 season, the two Spanish sides set up a fantastic semi-final clash and the world waited in anticipation for sparks to fly. And football fans were not disappointed.
The first leg was scheduled at the Santiago Bernabeu and it was marked by a bad-tempered first half, with the visitors only getting a few chances at goal. Messi was in the thick of things but stayed in the fringes of the Real Madrid defense, as the home team resorted to defensive tactics to frustrate the Catalans. Things got out of hands in the second half, as Pepe picked up a red card for a tackle on Dani Alves.
Jose Mourinho, the Real Madrid manager, also got his marching order for dissent and Los Blancos were suddenly at the point of breaking down. Messi saw this as an opportunity to pounce and stepped up to make the home side pay.
First, the Argentine got ahead of Sergio Ramos to turn in Ibrahim Afellay’s cross. It gave Barcelona a deserved lead as well as an away goal advantage. But Messi was just warming up and had saved the best for the last. In the dying minutes of the game, the Argentina international served up one of the best goals in the history of the Champions League.
Messi picked up the ball in the Real Madrid half and embarked on a 30-yard joyride, skipping past the opposition as if they were non-existent. It ended in his 11th goal in 11 games in the tournament and also capped one of his greatest performances in the Champions League
#2 Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United, 2011 Final
In the 2010-11 Champions League final, Barcelona were up against Manchester United, in a repeat of the 2008-09 final. The Red Devils were out for revenge, as the Catalans had previously won in Rome. Just like that fateful night, United started the game well, but were undone by the sheer brilliance of Messi.
It was Pedro who put the Blaugrana ahead in the game, only for Wayne Rooney to draw the Red Devils level. The first half ended 1-1, but after the break, Barcelona hit an overdrive, riding on an unplayable performance from their Argentinean maestro. Messi tortured and tormented the United defense right from the beginning of the second half and finally put his team ahead in the 54th minute.
The Red Devils had struggled to get close to him all night and were guilty of affording him too much time on the ball. The Argentine unleashed a powerful drive from 25 yards that surprised Edwin Van Der Saar in goal and restored Barcelona’s lead. Messi continued to threaten United with his pulsating runs, with the Dutch goalkeeper coming to his side’s rescue on a couple of occasions. However, he was powerless to stop David Villa, who added a late third that effectively ruled United out of the game.
Barcelona were the European Champions once again, but the night belonged to Messi, whose mesmerizing magic had undone Manchester United one more time.
#1 Barcelona 3-0 Bayern Munich 2015, Semi-finals
Without a doubt, Messi’s greatest performance in the Champions League came in the 2015 semi-final against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou. The game had been covered in anticipation during the build-up, as it pitted the Catalans against their ex-boss, Pep Guardiola. It was a battle between the ideology of Barcelona against the philosophy of the man who had been central to their recent rise.
Guardiola had brought great things to the Allianz Arena and had the Bavarians purring to the same tactics that had brought him unprecedented success at the Camp Nou. Bayern were expected to test Barcelona’s mettle and also the strength of Messi, who had been challenged by Manuel Neuer before the game. The German goalkeeper would live to rue that decision.
The Bavarians managed to frustrate the Catalans for the majority of the game, and even enjoyed more possession than the Spanish giants. However, it only took Messi three minutes to turn the tide in Barcelona’s favor and the goals were worth waiting for.
Neuer tried to initiate a quick counter at the end of a Barcelona attack in the 77th minute, but his ball was intercepted by Dani Alves, who unleashed Messi. The Argentine hit a hard and low strike from the edge of the penalty box, which crept into the near post. Barcelona were ahead, the game had sprung to life and Messi was hungry for more.
Three minutes later, the Argentinean received the ball from Ivan Rakitic and ran at the Bayern defense. Jerome Boateng and the rest of the world lay witness to the aura of Messi, as the diminutive magician sent the burly defender to the floor with the neatest of tricks. There was still the small task of defeating Neuer, the same goalkeeper who had frustrated him in the 2014 World Cup final.
Messi, though, had the perfect reply to the German goalkeeper’s provocation ahead of the game. When the Argentinean ran into the box past Boateng, Neuer rushed out of his box, but Messi lifted the ball over the head, perhaps giving the German a timely reminder of who was the boss.
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