Lionel Messi’s remarkable 21-year journey with Barcelona started when he was just a 13-year-old in 2000 and recently came to a close at the age of 34. With an impressive record of 672 goals scored in 778 games, Messi also led Barcelona to victory in 35 different competitions, securing a total of 10 La Liga titles and four championship wins. It’s going to be a tough act to follow for any future player who tries to fill his shoes at the club.

In 2000, Messi became part of Barcelona’s team at the young age of 13. He developed his talents in the youth squad before stepping onto the first team under the guidance of Christopher Francis when he was just 16. Messi’s first appearance in La Liga occurred in October 2004, and he scored his maiden goal in the top Spanish division against Albacete at the Nou Camp in May 2004.

In the 2005-2006 season, Messi scored six goals in 17 games as Barcelona clinched their second consecutive La Liga title, although he didn’t participate in the 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final.

He played a crucial role in Barcelona’s success in 2009, where the team secured six titles in the calendar year, including the Champions League, La Liga, King’s Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup. It was also the year Messi won his first Golden Ball on his way to potentially winning four in a row.

In 2010, Messi won La Liga once again and also received the Ballon d’Or award, along with his Barcelona teammates Andrés Iniesta and Xavi. This was the first time the award was given to the entire team.

The following season, Messi helped Barcelona secure their third consecutive La Liga title in 2010-2011, before leading the team to a 3-1 victory over Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final, scoring a goal and providing an assist.

Despite not clinching La Liga or the Champions League in the 2011-2012 season, Messi surpassed Cear Rodriguez to become Barca’s all-time leading goalscorer. Ending 2012 with an impressive total of 91 goals across all competitions, Messi also broke a La Liga scoring record with 50 goals in a calendar year, a feat that even Cristiano Ronaldo had not achieved.

Messi equaled Raul’s record of 71 Champions League goals with a brace in late 2014 before being overtaken by Ronaldo, the all-time top scorer in European football.

Throughout the 2014-2015 season, Messi delivered numerous outstanding performances, helping Barca secure its second “triple treble” in history. He also clinched his fourth Golden Ball award and later became La Liga’s all-time leading goalscorer.

Moreover, Messi achieved a domestic double title in both the 2015-2016 and 2017-2018 seasons. Following Andres Iniesta’s departure in May 2018, Messi was appointed Barca’s captain for the upcoming season, leading the team to the league title but facing elimination by Liverpool in the Champions League.

In September 2019, Messi won his record sixth Ballon d’Or. He attempted to leave Barca in August 2020 after reaching an agreement with then-President Josep Maria Bartomeu but ultimately opted to stay.

Notably, Messi surpassed Pele’s record for the most goals scored for a single club with his 644th goal for Barca against Valladolid in La Liga in December 2020.

In his final season at Camp Nou, Barca only secured the King’s Cup and finished third in La Liga. The team was also eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League’s round of 16.