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Lionel Messi and Barcelona: An Unforgettable Journey

Lionel Messi and Barcelona: An Unforgettable Journey

Lionel Andres Messi an Argentine professional footballer born on the 24th of June 1987 has a very long history with the Spanish professional football club Barcelona. Messi is one of the best players in the world. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Messi has won some of the biggest trophies, titles, and awards in his lifetime. He has won a record six Ballon d’Or awards, a record six European Golden Shoes, and in 2020 was named to the Ballon d’Or Dream Team.

Messi and Barcelona

The Quint

Until 2021 he has spent his entire professional career with FC Barcelona. He won a club-record 34 trophies, including ten LA Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, and four UEFA Champions Leagues.
He holds the record for most goals in La Liga (474), a La Liga and European league season (50), most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions Leauge (8), and most assists in La Liga (192) and a La Liga and European Leauge season (21) and has the most goals ever by a player for a single club.

Messi was into football starting from a young age. He joined the Newell’s Old Boys Club when he was six years old. During the six years he played for Newell’s, he scored almost 500 goals as a member of ‘The Machine of ‘87”. He was really a super player and was a crowd favorite.
However, his future as a professional player was threatened when, at the age of 10, he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency.

A Brief History.

Sky Sports

As the Newell’s agreed to contribute, but later reneged on their promise. But soon Messi’s family relatives in Catalonia, Spain sought to arrange a trial with FC Barcelona. First team director Charly Rexach immediately wanted to sign him, but the board of directors hesitated; at the time it was highly unusual for European clubs to sign foreign players of such a young age. On 14 December, an ultimatum was issued for Barcelona to prove their commitment, and Rexach, with no other paper at hand, offered a contract on a paper napkin. In February 2001, the family relocated to Barcelona, where they moved into an apartment near the club’s stadium, Camp Nou.

In February 2002 Messi finally enrolled in the Royal Spanish Football Federation. By the age of 14, he completed his growth hormone treatment and became an integral part of the “Baby Dream Team”, Barcelona’s greatest-ever youth side. During his first full season (2002–03), he was the top scorer with 36 goals in 30 games for the Cadetes A, who won an unprecedented treble of the league and both the Spanish and Catalan cups.

The Copa Catalunya final, a 4–1 victory over Espanyol, became known in club lore as the Partido de la máscara, the final of the mask. A week after suffering a broken cheekbone during a league match, Messi was allowed to start the game on the condition that he wear a plastic protector; soon hindered by the mask, he took it off and scored two goals in 10 minutes before his substitution. At the close of the season, he received an offer to join Arsenal but he chose to remain in FC Barcelona.

The Greatness of Messi.

Messi never intended to leave the club since the beginning of his professional football career. His teammates, trainers, coaches, and even the board treats him with utmost love and respect. And it’s the same with his fans and followers worldwide.
He has one of the most remarkable records of goals and trophies while being in the football club.

  • 10 La Liga
  • 4 Champions League
  • 7 Copa del Rey
  • 3 Club World Cup
  • 3 European Super Cup
  • 8 Spanish Super Cup

Departure

“Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations),”
Barcelona said in a statement.

“As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.
-Barcelona

“FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandizement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life.”

Since Messi’s old contract expired this summer. Both Messi and FC Barcelona had agreed to a five-year contract extension. La Liga salary cap rule means despite the parties’ agreement, they cannot sign a new agreement under the league’s rule.

It is clear now that Messi will no longer continue his football career with FC Barcelona. Similar to both Messi and FC Barcelona fans and followers from around the world are sad with this move.

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