October of 2004, the day Lionel Messi played his first game for Barcelona, as a 17-year-old shy kid, who would have predicted that the same player would take the club to a new height?
Undoubtedly, Messi is the greatest player in the history of Barcelona. No other player has given the most for the Spanish team. In fact, Barca’s glorious days started along with the rise of Messi and continued until he left. From 2004 to 2021, Messi won 35 titles – 10 Laliga and 4 UCL, including the treble in 2009 and 2015.
His departure from the club, however, was one of the worst ways for a legend to depart. He had to leave the club as a free agent due to Laliga policy and his strained relationship with the board, and he didn’t even get a proper FAREWELL.
Hey, Football Devils, let’s explore Messi’s first game for Barcelona vs the last game.
Messi’s first game for Barcelona | Debut in the Second Half
But where did it all start? When was the first game The Magician played for the Catalans? Where and against which team? When was the last time he appeared for the Spanish team? Against which team and when?
Messi played his first game against Spanish club RCD Espanyol on October 16, 2004, at just 17 years old. It was a league match played in Olympic Lluis Companys stadium, the home stadium of Espanyol. Carlos Davila refereed the first match of Barcelona’s young talent.
The Barcelona forward replaced Deco in the 82nd minute. Deco scored the only goal of the game with an assist by Samuel Eto. His other teammates were Puyol, Iniesta, Ronaldinho, and Xavi.
Messi’s last game for Barcelona
After 16 years of his debut with the Catalans club, Messi played his final game for Barcelona against Celta Vigo. It was also a league game played on May 16, 2021, at Camp Nou. At that time he was 34 years old at that time.
FCB lost the match with a scoreline of 1-2. Messi scored the only goal for Barca in the 28th minute with a rare header. In contrast, Santi Mina came out to level the scoreline in the 38th minute and later scored again in the 89th minute. The visitors ended the Blaugrana’s chance of winning the title.
While Messi was leaving the stadium after a full time, an ESPN commentator even predicted that it might be the ending match of Messi at Camp Nou.
He said,
“Maybe his last game at this stadium for Barca,” the commentator says as a visibly annoyed Messi leaves the pitch with his head down.
Who knew it would be true?
Messi leaves Barcelona to join PSG
Not long after Messi won his first international trophy with Argentina, he confirmed that he was leaving Barcelona. With tears in his eyes from the start of the press conference, he bid his farewell to his boyhood club after a long period of 21 years.
In that period of time, he gave his all to make Barcelona one of the best clubs in the world. The Barca legend’s first hattrick against arch-rival at the age of 19, solo goal against Athletic Bilbao, the dramatic last-minute goal in Elclassico, and unpredictable heading goal vs. young Ronaldo’s Manchester United, everything is in the heart of Barcelona fans’ eyes. It feels as if it just happened yesterday.
But now, it is all in history; soon, their golden boy is leaving the club, and not even a proper farewell. DISGUSTING !!!.
No matter, he is still one of the greatest players to play and a once-in-a-generation player.
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