Career of Lionel Messi

[11] His remarkable goal-scoring ability, masterful ball control, high level passing and playmaking as well as his outstanding dribbling skills has earned him recognition as one of the greatest and most iconic players in football history.

"[34] After he had scored 8 goals in 25 games, including his first in the Champions League,[35] in a 5–0 home win over Panathinaikos on 2 November 2005,[36] his season ended prematurely during the return leg against Chelsea on 7 March 2006, when he suffered a torn hamstring.

[66][67] Returning to the wing, he played his first final since breaking into the first team on 13 May, scoring once and assisting a second goal as Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao 4–1 at the Mestalla Stadium to win the Copa del Rey.

[75] Unsatisfied with his position on the right wing – with the club's summer acquisition Zlatan Ibrahimović occupying the central forward role – Messi resumed playing as a false nine in early 2010, beginning with a Champions League last 16-round match against VfB Stuttgart.

[80] As the league's top scorer with 34 goals (again tying Ronaldo's record), he helped Barcelona win a second consecutive La Liga trophy with only a single defeat and earned his first European Golden Shoe.

After Barcelona lost the Copa del Rey final four days later, Messi scored both goals in his side's 2–0 win in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals in Madrid, the second of which – a slaloming dribble past three Real players – was acclaimed as one of the best ever in the competition.

[99][100] In the UEFA Super Cup on 26 August, Messi scored the opening goal and assisted the second as Barcelona defeated last season’s Europa League champions FC Porto 2–0 at the Stade Louis II.

[124] After losing successive Clásicos, including the Copa del Rey semi-finals, they were nearly eliminated in the first knockout round of the Champions League by AC Milan, but a revival of form in the second leg at home led to a 4–0 comeback, with two goals from Messi.

[126][127] He wore the captain's armband for the first time a month later, on 17 March, in a 3–1 home league win against Rayo Vallecano; by then, he had become the team's tactical focal point to a degree that was arguably rivalled only by former Barcelona players Josep Samitier, László Kubala and Johan Cruyff.

[135][136] Following an irregular start to the new season under manager Gerardo Martino, formerly of his boyhood club Newell's Old Boys, Messi suffered his fifth injury of 2013 when he tore his hamstring on 10 November, leaving him sidelined for two months.

[140][141] He still managed to break two longstanding records in a span of seven days: a hat-trick on 16 March against Osasuna in a 7–0 home win saw him overtake Paulino Alcántara's 369 goals to become Barcelona's top goalscorer in all competitions including friendlies, while another hat-trick against Real Madrid on 23 March in a 4–3 win at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium made him the all-time top scorer in El Clásico, ahead of the 18 goals scored by former Real Madrid player Alfredo Di Stéfano.

A turning point came on 11 January during a 3–1 home victory over Atlético Madrid, the first time Barça's attacking trident of Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar, dubbed "MSN", each scored in a match, marking the beginning of a highly successful run.

[230] On 20 October, Messi scored in a 4–2 home win over Sevilla, but was later forced off in the 26th minute after falling awkwardly and injuring his right arm; tests later confirmed that he had fractured his radial bone, ruling him out for approximately three weeks.

[231] On 8 December, Messi scored two free kicks – his ninth and tenth goals from set pieces during the calendar year – in a 4–0 away win over Derbi barceloní rivals Espanyol in La Liga; this was the first time ever that he had managed such a feat in the league.

[279] On 26 August, Barcelona's sporting director Ramon Planes iterated the club's desire to "build a team around the most important player in the world"[280] and affirmed Messi will only be able to leave should a buyer pay his €700 million buyout clause; a reported early termination option available in Messi's contract (which would have allowed him to leave the club for free) could only be exercised if he had communicated his decision to Barcelona by 31 May 2020, although the player's representatives argued the deadline should be set to 31 August, due to the adjourned 2019–20 season.

[321] Having scored 40 goals at club and international level for the calendar year and helped Argentina win the 2021 Copa América, Messi received a record seventh Ballon d'Or on 29 November.

[363][364] He was formally introduced to fans at a live-streamed event, dubbed "La PresentaSÍon", at DRV PNK Stadium the following day alongside fellow signee and former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets.

[370] Messi made his MLS debut on 26 August, coming on as a substitute in the 60th minute, scoring a late goal in a 2–0 away win against New York Red Bulls, which put an end to Miami's eleven-match league winless streak.

[408] Aware of his physical limitations, Messi employed a personal trainer to increase his muscle mass, returning to the squad in an improved condition in time for the World Youth Championship, hosted by the Netherlands in June.

[415] Messi subsequently made regular appearances for the team ahead of Argentina's participation in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, scoring his first international goal in a 3–2 friendly defeat against Croatia at St. Jakob-Park on 1 March 2006.

[425][426] As Messi evolved into one of the best players in the world, he secured a place in Alfio Basile's starting line-up, as part of a team considered favourites to win the 2007 Copa América, held in Venezuela.

[447] When the tournament started on 12 June 2010, this new formation proved effective; Messi managed at least four attempts on goal during their opening group match but was repeatedly denied by Nigeria's goalkeeper, resulting in a 1–0 win.

[445] He wore the captain's armband for the first time on 22 June in their 2–0 win against Greece; as the focal point of their play, he helped create their second goal to see Argentina finish as group winners and advance to the knockout stage.

Messi then helped the team secure their place in the qualifiers of the 2014 World Cup with a 5–2 away victory over Paraguay at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco on 10 September 2013 when he scored twice from penalty kicks, taking his international tally to 37 goals to become Argentina's second-highest goalscorer behind Batistuta.

[458][467] However, his selection drew criticism due to his lack of goals in the knockout round; FIFA President Sepp Blatter expressed his surprise, while Maradona suggested that Messi had undeservedly been chosen for marketing purposes.

[474] At the semi-final stage on 30 June, Messi excelled as a playmaker as he provided three assists and helped create three more goals in his side's 6–1 victory over Paraguay, receiving applause from the initially hostile crowd.

[500][501] On 5 May, Messi's four match ban as well as his 10,000 CHF fine was lifted by FIFA after the Argentine Football Association appealed against his suspension, which meant he could now play Argentina's remaining World Cup qualifiers.

[526] After coming under criticism in the media over his performance following Argentina's 2–0 quarter-final in knockout stage victory over Venezuela on 28 June, Messi commented that it had not been his best Copa América, while also criticising the poor quality of the pitches.

[549][550] Following the tournament, Messi scored a hat-trick on 9 September in a 3–0 home win over Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier, moving him above Pelé as South America's top male international scorer with 79 goals.

[589] In the second friendly against Curaçao on 28 March at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero, Messi scored a first half hat-trick and recorded an assist in a 7–0 win.