Lionel Messi: The Best Photos From Every Year of His Amazing Career

Lionel Messi’s journey from humble beginnings in Rosario, Argentina to the greatest soccer Messi inherited Ronaldinhos No. 10 shirt in 2008. / IMAGO/Panoramic.

From being diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency as a child, to signing for Barcelona on a napkin, to leaving the club he defined under emotional circumstances in 2021, Messi’s career has been filled with twists, setbacks and defining moments.

Ultimately, though, it has been a story of triumph. The Argentine has won more individual and team honors than any player in the history of the game, producing magic at every stop along the way.

From slaloming runs that left defenders helpless to jaw-dropping goals on the biggest stages across the globe, Messi has given soccer fans unforgettable moments for more than two decades.

Here, we look back on his remarkable career through a photo from every year of his professional journey, from 2003—when he made his first-team debut for Barcelona—right through to the present day.

1. Messi’s Barcelona Breakthrough (2003)

Messi made his Barcelona debut at just 16 years, four months and 23 days old, coming on in the 75th minute of a friendly against José Mourinho’s Porto.

2. Messi Chooses Argentina (2004)

Messi was eligible to represent both Spain and Argentina at international level due to holding dual nationality, but in 2004 he committed his future to La Albiceleste by making his debut for Argentina’s Under-20 side against Paraguay.

3. Barcelona’s Youngest Scorer (2005)

Messi scored his first senior goal for Barcelona on May 1, 2005, against Albacete, finishing from a Ronaldinho assist to become, at the time, the youngest goalscorer in the club’s history.

4. World Cup Debut (2006)

Messi made his World Cup debut at the 2006 tournament against Serbia and Montenegro, coming on as a substitute in the 74th minute.

Naturally, in just 16 minutes, he set up one goal and scored another.

5. The Getafe Goal (2007)

In 2007, Messi scored the goal that truly put him on the world map—dribbling past almost the entire Getafe team before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting the ball into the net.

The goal was instantly compared to Diego Maradona’s iconic solo effort against England at the 1986 World Cup.

6. Barcelona’s New No. 10 (2008)

Ahead of the 2008–09 season, Messi was handed Barcelona’s iconic No. 10 shirt by new boss Pep Guardiola, taking it over from club legend and mentor Ronaldinho.

7. A First Ballon d’Or (2009)

After scoring 38 goals in all competitions to help Barcelona secure the first treble in Spanish soccer history—La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Champions League—in 2008–09, Messi was awarded his first Ballon d’Or later that year.

8. Back-to-Back Ballons d'Or (2010)

After claiming his first Ballon d’Or, Messi didn’t have to wait long for a second, securing the prize again in 2010 after helping Barcelona to a second consecutive La Liga title.

Scoring 47 goals across all competitions that season, he also won his first European Golden Shoe.

9. Man Utd’s Worst Enemy (2011)

After scoring a famous header against Manchester United in the 2008–09 Champions League final, Messi once again tore through the Red Devils in the 2010–11 final, finding the net as Barcelona secured a 3–1 victory to lift the trophy.

10. The 73-Goal Season (2012)

In 2011–12, Messi produced perhaps the most astonishing single-season numbers a player has ever recorded—73 goals and 30 assists in 60 games, averaging a goal or assist every 51 minutes.

Surprisingly, Barcelona didn’t win La Liga or the Champions League that year, but Messi’s individual brilliance earned him a fourth consecutive Ballon d’Or, having also claimed the prize in 2011.

That season also saw him become Barcelona’s all-time leading goalscorer at just 24 years old.

11. Joining Forces with Neymar (2013)

Ahead of the 2013–14 season, Barcelona signed Brazilian wonderkid Neymar to form a formidable attacking trio alongside Messi.

12. World Cup Heartbreak (2014)

At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Messi and Argentina fell short in the final, losing 1–0 to Germany after Mario Götze’s extra-time strike.

Despite the defeat, Messi was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.

13. MSN (2015)

Luis Suárez joined Barcelona ahead of the 2014–15 season, linking up with Neymar and Messi to form one of the greatest front threes world football has ever seen.

In their debut season together, the trio scored a combined 112 goals—Messi 58, Suárez 25, and Neymar 39—propelling Barcelona to another historic treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League.

14. Argentina’s All-Time Leading Scorer (2016)

In the 2016 Copa América Centenario semifinal against the United States, Messi curled in a stunning free-kick to surpass Gabriel Batistuta, becoming Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer with 57 international goals.

15. The Half-Century (2017)

In April 2017, Messi netted a dramatic last-minute winner for Barcelona in a 3–2 triumph over Real Madrid at the Bernabéu. The goal marked Messi’s 500th for the club, and he celebrated by tearing off his shirt and holding it aloft to the Madrid supporters, proudly displaying his name and number.

Finally, Messi had won the World Cup. / Getty/Gustavo Pagano.

16. A Tough Year (2018)

On paper, the 2017–18 season looked strong for Messi—he outscored every other player in the world, and Barcelona lifted both La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

Yet, it was also a year of relative disappointments.

For the first time since 2009, Messi didn’t finish in the top two of the Ballon d’Or voting, and Argentina were knocked out of the World Cup in the round of 16 by France.

17. Unlucky, Ronnie (2019)

In 2019, Messi claimed his sixth Ballon d’Or, moving ahead of his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has five—and will never catch him.

18. The Beginning of the End (2020)

Amid ongoing turmoil behind the scenes at Barcelona and poor performances in Europe, Messi shocked the world in 2020—just 11 days after Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich—by reportedly informing the club that he wanted to leave immediately.

He ultimately stayed for one more season.

19. A Tearful Goodbye (2021)

After an emotional farewell with Barcelona—where he admitted he wanted to stay but couldn’t due to the club’s financial troubles—Messi signed for Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021, reuniting with former teammate Neymar and joining forces with Kylian Mbappé.

20. World Cup Glory (2022)

Though his time at PSG wasn’t going exactly as planned, Messi finally claimed football’s ultimate prize in 2022, lifting the World Cup with Argentina after defeating France in the final, cementing his legacy as the greatest player to ever grace the beautiful game.

21. Hello, Inter Miami (2023)

Following a relatively trophy-light spell at PSG, Messi joined David Beckham’s Inter Miami in July 2023.

22. The Barcelona-Regen Project (2024)

Unsurprisingly, Messi took Major League Soccer by storm.

After helping Inter Miami lift the Leagues Cup in his first season, he—alongside former Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Suárez—guided the team to the Supporters’ Shield in 2024, smashing records along the way.

Among his achievements, Messi helped Miami set the regular-season points record, registered the most assists in a single MLS game with five and became the club’s all-time top scorer.

23. The MLS Cup (2025)

When Inter Miami signed Messi, the goal was simple: Lead the Herons to MLS glory.

In his third season, the Argentine did exactly that, scoring 43 goals—his best season return since 2018–19 with Barcelona—and guiding Miami to the MLS Cup, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3–1, with Messi providing two assists.

Mission complete.

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