Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has signed a new four-year contract with the club, ending mounting speculation over his future.
After making his Barca debut aged 17, Messi has been the scourge of defenders in Spain and across Europe, racking up 523 goals for the Blaugrana and collecting 30 trophies.
Here we take a look at some of the most memorable goals of a sensational career that will now continue at Camp Nou until 2021.
Albacete (H): May 1, 2005
Even at 17, Messi had the confidence of a veteran. Having already had one goal wrongly ruled out for offside an audacious chip from the edge of the box Messi s confidence was far from knocked and just a minute later he latched onto Ronaldinho s scooped pass before lobbing the ball over Albacete stopper Raul Valbuena from 16 yards. Some way to open your account for one of Europe s great clubs.
GOAL MORNING!!!
Do you remember Leo s first official goal?
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
Real Madrid (H): March 10, 2007
The prodigious youngster had already scored two equalisers in this match but, when Sergio Ramos headed home with 15 minutes left, it looked like Real Madrid would see the game out. Enter Messi. The forward controlled Ronaldinho s pass on the edge of the box, left Ivan Helguera in a heap on the ground, and fired past Iker Casillas into the corner to complete his maiden hat-trick.
Getafe (H): April 18, 2007
Messi first merited comparison with the all-time greats by scoring this Diego Maradona-esque solo goal against Getafe. He picked up the ball in his own half and danced around two players before turning on the pace, beating two more defenders and going around the goalkeeper, capping it with a right-footed finish.
GOAL MORNING!!!
It’s 10 years since Leo scored this Maradonaesque goal against Getafe
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
Real Zaragoza (A): March 21, 2010
Described by some as a defining goal in his career, Messi s strike against Real Zaragoza seemed to take him from very good into another class entirely. Messi displayed all he had to offer in this goal, which began when he won the ball from a tackle on halfway. From there, he shrugged off one challenge, raced towards the box and turned a defender inside out before drilling the ball into the far corner leaving coach Pep Guardiola speechless.
Real Betis (A): December 9, 2012
If any of the years Messi has been playing can be defined as his year it was 2012, when he seemed to break every record under the sun. The one that set a Guinness World Record was his second against Real Betis in December the 86th goal of the calendar year for the Argentine. It was a typically Messi goal, too, as he slammed home first time into the far corner from Andres Iniesta s layoff to surpass Germany and Bayern Munich great Gerd Muller s mark of 85.
Bayern Munich (H): May 6, 2015
Having already opened the scoring three minutes earlier to give Barca a 1-0 advantage over Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final, Messi doubled his tally with a sumptuous effort. Ivan Rakitic s pass sent Messi on his way, before the little maestro s trickery put Jerome Boateng on his backside and allowed him to casually lift the ball over the onrushing Manuel Neuer.
Athletic Bilbao (N): May 30, 2015
The second part of a treble-winning season for Barca came in the form of the Copa Del Rey against Athletic Bilbao. With 20 minutes gone and the score deadlocked, Messi set off an a marauding run down the right wing and soon found himself trapped amongst three defenders. Naturally, Messi was able to float past the trio as if they weren t there, before cutting into the box and beating Iago Herrerin at his near post.
GOAL MORNING!!!
It s 2 years today since this treasure from Leo
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
Real Madrid (A): April 23, 2017
El Clasico rarely disappoints for football fans around the globe, and the latest edition was no different. Anything but a win would essentially hand Real Madrid the title, and it looked to be headed for a 2-2 draw until Sergi Roberto s swashbuckling run in the 92nd minute gave Jordi Alba the chance to square it to Messi, who finished with aplomb from the edge of the area for his 500th Barcelona goal.
