Lionel Messi spent an impressive 21 years at Barcelona, joining the club at just 13 years old in 2000 and leaving at the age of 34. His remarkable career makes it hard to imagine anyone filling his shoes in the future. Messi netted a total of 672 goals in 778 games for the team, leading Barcelona to victory with 35 trophies won, including 10 La Liga titles and four additional championships.

In 2000, Messi became a member of Barcelona when he was just 13 years old. He developed his talents in the youth team before making his debut for the first team at the age of 16, in a friendly match in 2003. Messi then went on to score his first goal in La Liga in May 2004 against Albacete at the Nou Camp, solidifying his place in Barcelona’s first division.

In the 2005-2006 season, Messi scored six goals in 17 matches as Barcelona won La Liga for the second consecutive year. However, he did not play in their 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final.

Messi played a crucial role in Barcelona’s success in the 2009 calendar year, helping them win six titles including the Champions League, La Liga, King’s Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup. It was also the year he received his first Golden Ball, paving the way for him to potentially win four Golden Balls in a row.

In 2010, Messi once again secured a La Liga title and the Ballon d’Or award. This was the year when the award was extended to the entire Barcelona team, recognizing the contributions of Andres Iniesta and Xavi as well.

Continuing his dominance, Messi helped Barcelona clinch a third consecutive La Liga title in the 2010-2011 season. He then led the team to a 3-1 victory over Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final, scoring a goal and making a significant impact throughout the match.

In the 2011-2012 season, despite Barcelona not winning La Liga or the Champions League, Messi surpassed Cesar Rodriguez to become the all-time top goalscorer for the club with a total of 91 goals in all competitions. This included breaking the La Liga scoring record with 50 goals in a calendar year, a milestone that even Cristiano Ronaldo had not reached.

Messi equalled Raul’s record of 71 Champions League goals by the end of 2014, but was later surpassed by Ronaldo, who became the all-time leading scorer in Europe. The 2014-2015 season saw Messi deliver more outstanding performances, helping Barcelona achieve their second “triple treble” in history. He won the Golden Ball for the fourth time and became La Liga’s all-time top scorer.

Barcelona won the domestic double title in 2015-2016 and 2017-2018. After Andres Iniesta’s departure in May 2018, Messi was elected as Barcelona’s captain for the following season. He led the team to a league title but they were eliminated from the Champions League by Liverpool.

In September 2019, Messi won his sixth Ballon d’Or, setting a new record. In August 2020, he tried to leave Barcelona after reaching an agreement with the then-President Josep Maria Bartomeu but ultimately decided to stay. He surpassed Pele’s record for the most goals scored at a single club with his 644th goal for Barcelona against Valladolid in December 2020.

In Messi’s final season at Camp Nou, Barcelona only won the Copa del Rey and finished third in La Liga. They were eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16.