Ranking the 5 players Lionel Messi played the most games with at Barcelona

An important reason for many players joining Barcelona was Lionel Messi.

Why not, who wouldn't want to play with one of the greatest players of all-time? It's an opportunity too big to miss.

However, only a few in history have had this privilege, and now with the Argentine ace moving on, the chance to play with him at this highly decorated club is gone too.

Many legendary names have played with Lionel Messi at the Camp Nou over the years, but who are the players with the most games together alongside him?

Without further ado, here is a look at

5 players who were Lionel Messi's teammates at Barcelona the most number of times:

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Note: Javier Mascherano has played 414 games with Lionel Messi, but that also includes 74 games in Argentinian colors.

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#5 Victor Valdes - 353 games

Messi led from the front with an example while Valdes laid down a marker at the back

We start off with an unusual figure. Victor Valdes is somewhat of a forgotten name at Barcelona now, but in his prime, he was the best in the business.

The goalkeeper was the undisputed choice between the sticks in 11 of the 12 years he played at the club, originally playing as deputy to Roberto Bonano.

Once he started playing regularly, Valdes didn't look back, transforming into a world-class prospect and playing an important role in the club's accomplishments over the years.

He had the honor of watching Messi weave his magic upfront in 353 games and even labeled him a footballing 'god' in an interview last year.

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#4 Xavi - 399 games

Xavi and Messi played for 11 years at Barcelona

In fourth-place on the list is Xavi, who fell just short of 400 games with Lionel Messi when he left the club in 2015.

A true legend of the sport, the Spaniard is a Barcelona veteran of 767 games and 25 trophies, having played for 17 years, as long as Messi did.

Both are products of La Masia but graduated in different years, with Xavi promoted to the senior team in 1998, and Messi following him six years later.

However, it was only from the 2008-09 season onwards that Xavi and Messi truly began to link up and forge an excellent partnership which later propelled the side to numerous silverware success.

They even had a joint goal participation of 43, the sixth-most in Messi's career. The pair even won two trebles together, the second of which came in Xavi's final season at Barcelona.

#3 Andres Iniesta - 489 games

Andres Iniesta was Barca's most decorated player before Lionel Messi surpassed him

Andres Iniesta's career trajectory at Barcelona has been the same as Lionel Messi's.

He too broke into the side as a teenager before gradually working his way up and leaving the club after 15+ years with numerous trophies under the belt.

In fact, Iniesta was the most decorated player in Barcelona's history at the time of his departure in 2018 before Lionel Messi eventually surpassed him last year.

Even though the Spaniard was linked more with Xavi than Messi, the duo forged an important partnership on the field. That formed the backbone of the side's success in the last decade or so.

They have also assisted each other with a number of goals. One of the more famous being Messi's assist for Iniesta's Stamford Bridge winner in 2009 which put the side in the finals of the UEFA Champions League. That was a favor he later returned to Messi when they visited London again in 2018.

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#2 Gerard Pique - 506 games

Pique and Messi became the best of friends over the years

Only two players have played over 500 games with Lionel Messi in history and Gerard Pique is one of them.

The pair have known each other since 2000, when Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique both joined Barcelona's famed academy, La Masia, as kids.

But while the Argentine joined the senior team a few years later, his Spanish counterpart, four months older than him, left for Manchester United to continue his development before returning to Camp Nou in 2008.

Since then, these two figures have been mainstays in Barcelona's team sheets, winning plenty of games, sharing the loss in a few, and of course, lifting numerous titles together.

Despite one being a defender and the other playing a forward, Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique have a joint goal participation of 17 in history. Not a bad record.

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#1 Sergio Busquets - 567 games

Busquets has a unique distinction in football

With over 550 games together, Sergio Busquets has had the honor of playing the most number of matches at Barcelona alongside Lionel Messi.

The Spaniard broke into the side in 2008, the year when several young La Masia talents made their senior debuts under Pep Guardiola.

Messi was on the verge of becoming a superstar then, having impressed alongside Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry in previous years.

However, the pair struck a strong bond, on the field and off it too, going through all the ups and downs of the last 12 years together.

It's only fitting that Busquets has succeeded Messi as Barcelona's next captain, with the midfielder also now the most experienced and successful player at Barcelona.