NOT AT ALL MESSY!!

In 2004 Seventeen-year-old Lionel Messi, made his league debut for FC Barcelona in a 1-0 win against cross-town rivals Espanyol at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona.

Messi began the 2004–05 season as a guaranteed starter for the Barcelona B team, but after some lobbying by the senior players, he was promoted to the first team by manager Frank Rijkaard. He made his La Liga debut for Barcelona on 16 October 2004, at 17 years old. He scored his first senior goal on 1 May 2005, becoming the youngest-ever scorer for the club at the time. He was at that time the youngest player to represent Barcelona in an official competition, and the club won the league title during that season.

On his 18th birthday, Messi signed his first contract as a senior team player, which kept him with Barcelona through 2010, and had a release clause of €150 million. Three months later, as his performance continued to make waves, his contract was updated to double his salary and keep him with the club until 2014. By the end of the 2005-6 season. Barcelona had won La Liga again as well as the UEFA Champions League.

During the 2006-7, Messi scored his first hat-trick during a game against Real Madrid, becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in a Clasico in 12 years. Two goals scored by Messi against Getafe and Espanyol during the season drew notice for their similarities to two famous goals scored by fellow Argentine Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup match against England, leading to comparisons between Messi and Maradona that would endure throughout Messi's career. Barcelona finished the 2006–07 season with only one trophy – the 2006 Supercopa de España – and the 2007–08 season without a single trophy, leading to Rijkaard's departure.

SOME INCREDIBLE FIGURES BELOW!!

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2004	Barcelona C	10	(5)
2004–2005	Barcelona B	22	(6)
2004–2021	Barcelona	520!!	(474!!)
2021–2023	Paris Saint-Germain	58	(22)
2023–	Inter Miami	79	(73)
International career
2004–2005	Argentina U20	18	(14)
2008	Argentina U23	5	(2)
2005–2026	Argentina	208!!	(126!!)