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Having dedicated 21 years of his life to Barcelona, Lionel Messi has finally left Camp Nou, owing to the financial predicament the Blaugrana have gotten themselves into. The Catalan side's enormous wage bill grossly exceeds La Liga's Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, with a massive €187m-cut still needed to prevent any further complications.
Even after agreeing to substantial salary reductions with a number of veterans, including Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets, Barcelona are yet to register their recent incoming transfers. Lionel Messi recently became the first casualty of this state, after a verbal agreement between the two parties failed to materialize due to regulations framed by La Liga.
Lionel Messi and life after Barcelona
Despite the little Argentine becoming the most lucrative free agent in the history of football, not many top clubs have inquired about his potential signing. The usual suspects, Manchester City, and Paris Saint-Germain, were the clear frontrunners to land Lionel Messi's signature until the Cityzens' €118m acquisition of Jack Grealish. The former Aston Villa talisman will be donning the number 10 jersey at the Etihad next season, as confirmed by Pep Guardiola.
All the signs point to a reunion between Lionel Messi and his former comrade Neymar as cash-laden PSG are the only side in present times who can realistically afford the forward's monstrous wage demands. With a new chapter in France just moments away from commencing, let's take a look at some of Lionel Messi's significant first as well as last experiences with Barcelona:
#1 Appearances for Barcelona
First:
The match that changed football, Lionel Messi made his debut for Barcelona in a La Liga clash against cross-town rivals Espanyol on October 16, 2004. He came off the bench in the 82nd minute, replacing first-team mainstay Deco in a game that ended 1-0, in favor of the opposition.
His appearance on the night made Lionel Messi the youngest player ever to defend the Blaugrana colors on-field in an official competition. Even though the record has since been broken twice, firstly by Bojan Krkic, followed by its current-holder Ansu Fati, getting an opportunity to represent his boyhood club at the tender age of 17 years and three months, goes on to show the faith Barcelona had in the youngster's abilities.
Technically, Messi had already stepped onto the pitch as a senior squad member in 2003, playing a friendly match against Jose Mourinho's Porto, the said game was considered to be unofficial. He subsequently made his continental debut against Shakhtar Donetsk in the 04/05 season, a UCL match that Barcelona went on to lose 2-0.
Last:
Fast forward 17 years and 777 official games for the Catalan giants, Lionel Messi played his ultimate game, contracted to the club of his dreams, on May 16, 2021, just one month before his 34th birthday. Similar to his first game, Barcelona lost their battle against Celta Vigo in a meaningless league match, since the Blaugrana had already been knocked out of the title race.
He was left out for the last game of the season against Eibar, who were stuck at the foot of the league at the time. Therefore, the 1-2 home defeat to Los Celestes unexpectedly turned out to be Lionel Messi's last game for Barcelona ever.
A heart-breaking 1-1 draw in Paris, which eliminated the five-time Champions League winners from the 20/21 edition of the UCL, proved to be the Argentine's final European game with the Spanish giants. He scored his team's solitary goal in a 5-2 aggregate loss in the round of 16 stage, banging in a belter from 35 yards out.
Also read: 5 major reasons that led to Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona
#2 Goals for Barcelona
First:
Lionel Messi has bagged over 750 career goals, out of which 672 have come while playing for Barcelona. The floodgates for his insurmountable goal-scoring statistics opened on May 1, 2005, a whole seven months after his official debut.
Playing against Albacete in La Liga, Lionel Messi found the net in the dying embers of the game, having been brought on for Samuel Eto'o with just moments left on the clock. However, the young prodigy took no time in scoring his first professional goal. Following a clean ball from Ronaldinho, Messi stuck it past Raúl Valbuena, finishing off the move with an exquisite lob that left the keeper dumbfounded. Barcelona ran out 2-0 victors as a result.
Last:
Poetically, the last goal that Lionel Messi would ever score for Barca came in his final appearance for the club. A rare bird in myriads of goals, his ultimate strike proved to be a close-range header against Celta Vigo, which the Blaugrana ultimately lost 1-2.
Rounding off a visionary lofted pass from Sergio Busquets, the Argentine netted a free header to give Barcelona the lead. His 28th-minute strike at Camp Nou brought his tally up to 30 for the 20/21 league season, comfortably ahead of second-placed Karim Benzema. Lionel Messi's final goal for his childhood club ensured a record-eighth Pichichi Trophy for the talismanic figure.
#3 Trophies with Barcelona for Lionel Messi
First:
With a long list of accolades, Messi is the second most decorated player in the history of football. The majestic dribbler has a colossal 35 titles to his name at club level, with only Dani Alves surpassing the legend in terms of numbers.
His first taste of silverware in a Barcelona shirt came in the form of the 04/05 La Liga title, when the Catalan club romped to the 17th Spanish title in their illustrious history. Lionel Messi played a bit-part role that season, getting just 75 minutes of league action.
Still contracted to the B team, the then 17-year-old forward bagged his first professional goal in that campaign. Lionel Messi successfully cemented his position in the first team in the following years, going on to become the most important player in Barcelona's history.
Last:
The 119th edition of Spain's primary football cup proved to be Lionel Messi's final trophy with the Catalan giants. As club captain, he valiantly led his team to their 31st Copa del Rey title, solidifying Barcelona's position at the top of the competition's all-time charts in the process.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner scored twice, including a wondergoal reminiscent of his Puskas-nominated strike of 2015, in a 4-0 rout of Athletic Bilbao. Barcelona were at their level best that night, holding off possession beautifully, all the while stringing in some progressive and bewitching passes.
The most decorated player in the club's history, Lionel Messi flawlessly carried out his responsibilities as captain. His era saw Barcelona lift a total of 35 trophies, taking their total tally from 61, before his debut, to a record-shattering 96 in just 17 years. A true legend of the game but a loyal servant to his boyhood club.
Also read: 5 iconic Lionel Messi goal celebrations for Barcelona
