Ranking the 5 players Lionel Messi played the most games with 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.

Iniesta on Messi:"He (Messi) is the best I have seen on a football pitch," Iniesta told RAC 1."There's nobody else like him."Messi and Iniesta became senior team colleagues at Barca in 2005, and have since changed the game for the better. pic.twitter.com/FBRepMQeZg

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) May 18, 2018

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.

Pique admits Barcelona post-Messi will be difficult 💔 pic.twitter.com/0AaPbPCoaZ

— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 8, 2021

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.