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In addition to being a magician with the ball at his feet, Lionel Messi is one of the most prolific goalscorers of all time. The Barcelona legend scored his 700th official goal against Atletico Madrid yesterday and became the second active player after Cristiano Ronaldo to reach the incredible landmark.
Lionel Messi scored his 700th goal in style with a wonderful 'Panenka' chip over Jan Oblak after Nelson Semedo was fouled in the penalty area. Barcelona failed to win the match despite Lionel Messi's best efforts but his individual achievement deserves plenty of applause.
Lionel Messi has scored some exceptional goals over the years and it is difficult to shortlist the best from his numerous mind-boggling strikes. While most of Lionel Messi's goals involved a few defenders falling to the ground in vain and a helplessly stranded goalkeeper, a few strikes have made their way into football's proverbial hall of fame.
Here, we take a look at the ten best goals Lionel Messi has scored during his illustrious career.
#10 Lionel Messi vs Real Madrid, 2007
Lionel Messi scored his first hat-trick against Real Madrid as a teenager in 2007 and etched himself into the history and folklore of El Clasico with a stunning performance. The commentators at the time labelled this fixture the "Lionel Messi match."
The third goal that Lionel Messi scored late in the game was an indicator of the what was to come for the Argentine genius. The Barcelona star picked up a loose ball in midfield and beat Michael Salgado and Sergio Ramos to score an excellent goal for Barcelona.
#9 Lionel Messi vs Real Betis, 2019
Lionel Messi is known for his otherworldly control over the ball and has often come up with stunning new ways to get on to the scoresheet. His goal against Real Betis in the 2019 La Liga season is a testament to his sheer skills.
Real Betis managed to clear its lines from a Barcelona corner but Lionel Messi picked up the ball at the edge of the penalty area and unleashed a stunning chip over a helpless goalkeeper to score one of the most breathtaking goals you will ever see in La Liga.
#8 Lionel Messi vs Liverpool, 2019
Barcelona's Champions League record against Liverpool will always be tarnished by the debacle that the Catalans experienced at Anfield. The Blaugrana won the first leg by a margin of 3-0 with the help of a legendary performance from Lionel Messi.
Lionel Messi scored an absolute stunner of a free-kick against the Reds. The Barcelona captain placed the ball over 30 yards away from the goal and curved the ball past Alisson to score one of the best free-kicks in living memory.
#7 Lionel Messi vs Sevilla, 2012
Lionel Messi loves scoring against Sevilla. The Barcelona talisman has scored more goals against the Andalusians than against any other team, and this exhilarating goal from 2012 is a testament to the fear he invokes in defenders to this day.
The charismatic Argentine humiliated his marker with a trademark nutmeg before chipping the ball over Sevilla's shot-stopper with consummate ease. Lionel Messi would go on to break several records that year and this goal was arguably his best in 2012.
#6 Lionel Messi vs Athletic Bilbao, 2013
Athletic Bilbao is one of the more resilient teams in La Liga and often presents a rigid and defensive front. The Basque side was completely taken apart by Lionel Messi in 2013 and an inspired piece of commentary by Ray Hudson has made the goal immortal.
Thiago Alcantara did well to glide through the midfield and give the ball to Lionel Messi, who skiped past five of the opposition's players to curl the ball into the bottom corner.
#5 Lionel Messi vs Bayern Munich, 2015
Jerome Boateng must still be turning in his sleep thinking about what Lionel Messi did to him over five years ago. Bayern Munich came into the Champions League semi-final fixture against Barcelona brimming with confidence but Lionel Messi had other ideas.
Lionel Messi received the ball in the final third and had only Jerome Boateng to beat. The Barcelona star sent the German defender spinning on his heels as he left Manuel Neuer on the floor to score one of the most memorable goals in Champions League history.
#4 Lionel Messi vs Real Zaragoza, 2010
In 2010, Lionel Messi scored one of the best goals of his career against Real Zaragoza. The Argentine was deployed as a false nine by Pep Guardiola and wreaked havoc in La Liga.
Lionel Messi was often branded as a physically weak footballer but silenced his critics by showing incredible strength against his much bigger opponents. The Argentine pulled off a brilliant 'Elastico' before taking on several Zaragoza players and beating the goalkeeper from a tight angle.
#3 Lionel Messi vs Athletic Bilbao, 2015
Can he go all the way? He sure can.
Lionel Messi loves scoring blinders against Athletic Bilbao. The Barcelona talisman was at his stunning best against the Basque side in the Copa del Rey final in 2015. The Barcelona forward picked up the ball in the midfield and embarked on a magnificent run to give his side the lead.
Lionel Messi's goal against Athletic Bilbao is arguably one of the greatest goals in the history of the Copa del Rey. The Argentine glided past five players to score his goal and establish himself as the best player to ever grace Spanish football.
#2 Lionel Messi vs Real Madrid, 2011
"Away from two, three, four, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful."
Lionel Messi's record against Real Madrid against is tremendous. The modern-day legend has more El Clasico goals than any player in the history of the fixture. The Argentine great's most important strike came in the 2011 Champions League semi-final.
Lionel Messi got the ball from Sergio Busquets in the midfield and went on a mesmerising dribble that left the likes of Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso stunned. Iker Casillas' reaction after the goal tells you all you need to know about Lionel Messi's incomparable ability.
#1 Lionel Messi vs Getafe, 2007
For a 19-year-old youngster to score a goal of such astounding quality was unheard of before 2007. Lionel Messi was already a star in the making prior to this monumental feat but his goal against Getafe announced the arrival of one of the greatest players to have ever played the game.
The young La Masia forward beat two opponents in his own half before massacring half the Getafe side and the goalkeeper on his way to a goal that has effectively created history. The stunning run drew parallels to Diego Maradona's World Cup feat in 1986 and established Lionel Messi as the heir to the legend's throne.
This goal has been voted the best goal in Barcelona history and it is highly unlikely that the sheer skill and talent required to pull something like this off will ever be surpassed.
Lionel Messi is well and truly the best player to have ever graced the beautiful game.
