2004
Barcelona Champions League Group Match Against Shakhtar
Messi gained early Champions League experience against Shakhtar Donetsk, featuring in a Barcelona side testing its emerging young attacking talent.
Football player and manager history
Lionel Messi
Explore 25 football history records associated with Lionel Messi, arranged by year, month, day and event. Entries may concern different clubs or national teams during the person’s career.
Historical events
2004
Competitive Barcelona Debut Against Espanyol
Lionel Messi entered the derby against Espanyol as a second-half substitute, beginning his official first-team career with Barcelona at seventeen years of age.
2005
First Barcelona Senior Goal Against Albacete
Messi lifted the ball over the Albacete goalkeeper after receiving Ronaldinho's pass, registering his first competitive senior goal for Barcelona.
2005
Senior Argentina Debut Against Hungary
Messi made his Argentina senior debut against Hungary but was dismissed shortly after entering the match, an unusually abrupt start to his international career.
2005
Under-20 World Cup Final Penalty Double
Argentina defeated Nigeria 2-1 in the Under-20 World Cup final, with Messi scoring both goals from the penalty spot and ending the tournament as its leading scorer.
2006
Barcelona Supercopa Victory Over Espanyol
Messi played during Barcelona's successful Spanish Super Cup campaign against Espanyol, strengthening his place in the senior squad after his breakthrough season.
2006
First Champions League Knockout Start Against Chelsea
The teenage Messi troubled Chelsea's defenders during Barcelona's Champions League round-of-sixteen first leg, helping his side secure a 2-1 away victory.
2006 June 16th
First World Cup Goal
Scores his first World Cup goal as Argentina defeat Serbia and Montenegro 6-0.
2007
First Barcelona Hat-Trick in El Clasico
Messi scored three times against Real Madrid, including a late equaliser, to rescue a dramatic 3-3 draw for ten-man Barcelona.
2007
Maradona-Style Cup Goal Against Getafe
Starting inside his own half, Messi dribbled past several Getafe players and finished a remarkable Copa del Rey goal that recalled Diego Maradona's 1986 solo effort.
2007 July 11th
Copa America Semi-Final Chip Against Mexico
Scores a deft chipped goal as Argentina defeat Mexico 3-0 in the Copa America semi-final.
2008
Olympic Football Gold Medal Against Nigeria
Messi supplied the through ball for Ángel Di María's decisive finish as Argentina beat Nigeria 1-0 and retained the men's Olympic football gold medal.
2008
Olympic Semi-Final Victory Against Brazil
Messi helped Argentina control attacking possession as the Olympic team defeated Brazil 3-0 to reach the gold-medal match in Beijing.
2008
Pep Guardiola Builds Attack Around Messi
Following Ronaldinho's departure, Messi became the focal point of Pep Guardiola's Barcelona attack and increasingly operated through central spaces as well as from the right.
2009
Copa del Rey Final Against Athletic Bilbao
Messi scored Barcelona's second goal and contributed to further attacks in a 4-1 victory over Athletic Club, helping secure the first trophy of the club's treble season.
2009
First Ballon d'Or
Wins his first Ballon d'Or after helping Barcelona complete a historic treble.
2009
First Champions League Knockout Goal Against Lyon
Messi scored in Barcelona's 5-2 Champions League victory over Lyon, combining quick feet and a precise finish during the club's successful European campaign.
2009 May 2nd
Six Two Clasico Victory
Scores twice as Barcelona defeat Real Madrid 6-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
2009 May 27th
Messi Champions League Final Header
Heads Barcelona's second goal to secure victory over Manchester United.
2009
Golden Boot UEFA Champions League
Scores 9 goals for Barcelona to claim the UEFA Champions League scoring honour. The achievement reflects his headed goal in the final against Manchester United.
2009 December 19th
Club World Cup Final Winner
Scores in extra time as Barcelona defeat Estudiantes to complete an unprecedented six-trophy year.
2010
Four Goals Against Arsenal in Champions League
Messi scored all four Barcelona goals in a 4-1 quarter-final second-leg victory over Arsenal, overturning an early deficit with an exceptional finishing display.
2010
Hat-Trick Against Real Zaragoza
Messi scored three times against Real Zaragoza, including an extraordinary solo run, in Barcelona's 4-2 league victory.
2010
Second Consecutive FIFA Ballon d'Or
Messi received the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or after another prolific year for Barcelona, edging fellow Barcelona midfielders Andrés Iniesta and Xavi in the voting.
2010
Golden Boot UEFA Champions League
Claims the UEFA Champions League top-scorer award with 8 goals while representing Barcelona. The season is distinguished by his spectacular four-goal performance against Arsenal in the quarter-finals.
2011
Hat-Trick Secures Spanish Super Cup Against Madrid
Messi scored twice in the second leg against Real Madrid, including a late winner, as Barcelona claimed the Spanish Super Cup 5-4 on aggregate.
2011
Third Consecutive Ballon d'Or
Messi was named the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or winner after scoring freely and leading Barcelona to Champions League and Spanish league honours.
2011 April 27th
Bernabeu Semi-Final Brace
Scores twice against Real Madrid, including a celebrated solo goal, in the semi-final first leg.
2011 May 28th
Messi Champions League Final Second Goal
Restores Barcelona's lead with a low strike from outside the penalty area.
2011
Golden Boot UEFA Champions League
Leads the UEFA Champions League scoring standings with 12 goals for Barcelona. His contribution stands out for scoring decisive knockout goals on Barcelona’s route to Wembley.
2011 December 18th
Club World Cup Final Double
Scores twice as Barcelona defeat Santos 4-0 to win the FIFA Club World Cup.
2012
Copa del Rey Final Against Athletic Club
Messi scored Barcelona's second goal against Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey final, helping the team close Pep Guardiola's managerial tenure with silverware.
2012
Five Champions League Goals Against Leverkusen
Messi became the first player to score five goals in one Champions League match as Barcelona overwhelmed Bayer Leverkusen 7-1.
2012
Four Goals Against Espanyol in League Derby
Messi scored all four Barcelona goals against Espanyol in a 4-0 derby victory, delivering a spectacular attacking performance near the end of the league season.
2012
Record Ninety-One Calendar-Year Goals
Messi finished 2012 with 91 official goals for Barcelona and Argentina combined, surpassing Gerd Müller's long-standing calendar-year benchmark.
2012
Golden Boot La Liga
Claims the La Liga top-scorer award with 50 goals while representing Barcelona. The season is distinguished by setting an extraordinary single-season Spanish top-flight record.
2012
Golden Boot UEFA Champions League
Collects the UEFA Champions League leading-scorer distinction after scoring 14 goals for Barcelona. The award recognises his five goals in one match against Bayer Leverkusen.
2013
AC Milan Champions League Comeback Brace
Messi scored twice in the first half as Barcelona reversed a two-goal first-leg deficit against Milan and advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals.
2013
Barcelona Century of League Points
Messi contributed to Barcelona's championship season as the team accumulated 100 La Liga points, equalling the Spanish top-flight record established by Real Madrid.
2013
Twenty-One Consecutive League Scoring Games
Messi completed a sequence of scoring against every other La Liga opponent in consecutive league appearances, demonstrating extraordinary consistency across the 2012-13 campaign.
2013
Golden Boot La Liga
Leads the La Liga scoring standings with 46 goals for Barcelona. His contribution stands out for maintaining a dominant scoring pace in Barcelona’s championship season.
2014
All-Time La Liga Scoring Record Against Sevilla
Messi scored a hat-trick against Sevilla to move beyond Telmo Zarra's long-standing Spanish league goals record and received a standing ovation at Camp Nou.
2014
Hat-Trick Breaks Clasico Scoring Record
Messi scored three times in Barcelona's 4-3 win away to Real Madrid and overtook the previous all-time scoring record for competitive Clásico matches.
2014 June 15th
World Cup Goal Against Bosnia and Herzegovina
Scores Argentina's second goal in the 2-1 World Cup group-stage victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
2014 June 21st
Late World Cup Winner Against Iran
Scores in stoppage time to give Argentina a 1-0 World Cup victory over Iran.
2014 June 25th
Two World Cup Goals Against Nigeria
Scores twice as Argentina defeat Nigeria 3-2 and complete a perfect World Cup group stage.
2014 July 13th
2014 World Cup Golden Ball
Wins the World Cup Golden Ball after Argentina finish as runners-up to Germany.
2015
Bayern Munich Semi-Final Double
Messi struck twice against Bayern Munich, famously wrong-footing Jérôme Boateng before chipping Manuel Neuer, as Barcelona won the Champions League semi-final first leg 3-0.
2015
Copa del Rey Final Solo Goal Against Athletic
Messi dribbled past several Athletic Club defenders from the right touchline and opened the scoring in Barcelona's 3-1 Copa del Rey final triumph.
2015
Fifth Ballon d'Or Award
Messi collected his fifth Ballon d'Or after Barcelona won another treble, recognising a season of decisive goals, combinations and creative performances.
2015 August 11th
UEFA Super Cup Free-Kick Double
Scores two direct free kicks as Barcelona defeat Sevilla 5-4 after extra time.
2016
Champions League Hat-Trick Against Manchester City
Messi scored three times as Barcelona beat Pep Guardiola's Manchester City 4-0 in the Champions League group stage.
2016
Copa America Final Shootout Defeat to Chile
After Argentina's goalless final against Chile, Messi missed his kick in the shootout and announced an international retirement that he subsequently reversed.
2016
Copa America Hat-Trick Against Panama
Entering as a substitute, Messi scored three goals against Panama in less than half an hour to power Argentina to a 5-0 tournament win.
2016
Free-Kick Against United States in Copa Semifinal
Messi scored an outstanding free kick against the United States in the Copa América Centenario semi-final and became Argentina's leading international goalscorer.
2017
Hat-Trick Against Ecuador Secures World Cup Place
With Argentina in danger of missing the World Cup, Messi scored all three goals in a 3-1 qualifying victory over Ecuador to secure direct passage to Russia.
2017
Spanish Cup Final Goal Against Alaves
Messi opened the scoring and helped organise Barcelona's attacking play in a 3-1 Copa del Rey final victory over Alavés.
2017 April 23rd
Five Hundredth Barcelona Goal
Scores his five-hundredth competitive Barcelona goal with a stoppage-time Clasico winner.
2017
Golden Boot La Liga
Claims the La Liga top-scorer award with 37 goals while representing Barcelona. The season is distinguished by leading a scoring race that featured several world-class forwards.
2018
Barcelona Captain Following Iniesta Departure
After Andrés Iniesta left the club, Messi became Barcelona's principal captain and led the squad into the new season with the number ten shirt.
2018
First Argentina World Cup Goal Against Nigeria
Messi controlled a long pass before scoring against Nigeria, giving Argentina a crucial lead in the group match they ultimately won 2-1.
2018
Hat-Trick Against Leganes in League Victory
Messi scored three times against Leganés in a 3-1 Barcelona win, illustrating his blend of set-piece accuracy and movement through crowded defensive areas.
2018
Golden Boot La Liga
Leads the La Liga scoring standings with 34 goals for Barcelona. His contribution stands out for his finishing as Barcelona won La Liga.
2019
Record Sixth European Golden Shoe
Messi received the European Golden Shoe for his 36-goal La Liga season, winning the continental league-scoring award for a sixth time.
2019
Two Free Kicks in Champions League Liverpool Tie
Messi scored twice in Barcelona's 3-0 Champions League semi-final first-leg victory against Liverpool, including a remarkable long-range free kick.
2019
Golden Boot La Liga
Collects the La Liga leading-scorer distinction after scoring 36 goals for Barcelona. The award recognises spearheading a further Barcelona championship-winning campaign.
2019
Golden Boot UEFA Champions League
Finishes as the leading goalscorer in the UEFA Champions League with 12 goals for Barcelona. The campaign is particularly remembered for his attacking output in Barcelona’s run to the semi-finals.
2019 December 2nd
Sixth Ballon d'Or
Wins a sixth Ballon d'Or while serving as Barcelona captain.
2020
Champions League Goal Against Napoli
Messi dribbled through Napoli's defence and scored in Barcelona's Champions League round-of-sixteen second leg, helping his team reach the quarter-finals.
2020
Seven Hundredth Career Goal Against Atletico
Messi converted a chipped penalty against Atlético Madrid to reach 700 senior goals for Barcelona and Argentina in official matches.
2020
Golden Boot La Liga
Finishes as the leading goalscorer in the La Liga with 25 goals for Barcelona. The campaign is particularly remembered for winning another Pichichi despite Barcelona finishing second.
2020 December 22nd
One Club Scoring Record
Scores his 644th Barcelona goal to surpass Pele's recognised goals total for a single club.
2021
Copa America First Senior International Title
Messi captained Argentina to a 1-0 Copa América final victory over Brazil, ending his long wait for a senior international championship.
2021
Copa del Rey Final Two-Goal Performance
Messi scored twice as Barcelona defeated Athletic Club 4-0 in the Copa del Rey final, securing his final major trophy with the Catalan club.
2021
First PSG Champions League Goal Against Manchester City
Messi combined with Kylian Mbappé before scoring from outside the area to seal Paris Saint-Germain's 2-0 victory over Manchester City.
2021
Paris Saint-Germain Debut Against Reims
Messi made his Paris Saint-Germain debut from the substitutes' bench against Reims, beginning his Ligue 1 career after leaving Barcelona.
2021
Transfer to Paris Saint-Germain
Lionel Messi moves to Paris Saint-Germain after playing for Barcelona. Barcelona's financial restrictions contributed to the end of Messi's long association with the club and his move to France.
2021
Golden Boot La Liga
Scores 30 goals for Barcelona to claim the La Liga scoring honour. The achievement reflects securing his final La Liga top-scorer prize with Barcelona.
2021 July 10th
2021 Copa America Joint Top Scorer
Finishes the Copa America with four goals, sharing the tournament scoring lead as Argentina become champions.
2022
Five Goals for Argentina Against Estonia
Messi scored all five goals in Argentina's 5-0 friendly victory over Estonia, equalling his best single-match tally for a senior side.
2022
World Cup Quarter-Final Assist Against Netherlands
Messi split the Dutch defence with a remarkable through ball for Nahuel Molina and later scored a penalty in Argentina's shootout victory.
2022
World Cup Round-of-Sixteen Goal Against Australia
On his thousandth senior professional appearance, Messi opened the scoring against Australia as Argentina advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals.
2022
World Cup Semi-Final Goal and Assist Against Croatia
Messi converted a penalty and later dribbled past Joško Gvardiol to assist Julián Álvarez as Argentina defeated Croatia 3-0.
2022 November 26th
World Cup Goal Against Mexico
Scores Argentina's opening goal in a crucial 2-0 World Cup group-stage victory over Mexico.
2022 December 18th
2022 Golden Ball
Wins the Golden Ball after leading Argentina to the World Cup title.
2022 December 18th
World Cup Winner
Lionel Messi lifts his first World Cup after Argentina draws 3-3 with France and wins the 2022 final on penalties in Lusail.
2023
Argentina World Cup Champions Homecoming Friendly
Messi scored against Panama in Argentina's first home match after their World Cup triumph, celebrating the title in front of a jubilant national crowd.
2023
Eighth Ballon d'Or Award
Messi received his eighth Ballon d'Or, recognised for captaining Argentina to the World Cup and continuing his performances for club and country.
2023
First Major League Soccer Appearance Against New York
Messi came off the bench and scored in his first MLS regular-season match as Inter Miami defeated the New York Red Bulls 2-0.
2023
Inter Miami Debut Free-Kick Winner
Messi scored a stoppage-time free kick on his Inter Miami debut against Cruz Azul, producing an immediate match-winning contribution in the Leagues Cup.
2023
Leagues Cup Final Opening Goal for Miami
Messi put Inter Miami ahead against Nashville SC with a curling shot before his side won the Leagues Cup final on penalties.
2024
Copa America Final Against Colombia
Messi captained Argentina in the Copa América final against Colombia but left with an ankle injury before his teammates secured the title in extra time.
2024
Inter Miami Hat-Trick Against New England
Messi came on as a substitute and completed a hat-trick against New England Revolution as Inter Miami finished the regular season with a points record.
2024
Inter Miami Supporters Shield Championship
Messi scored twice against Columbus Crew as Inter Miami secured the Supporters' Shield for the best regular-season record in Major League Soccer.