Fifteen years of Leo: Oct. 16 will always be remembered as Messi Day

Fifteen years of Leo: Oct. 16 will always be remembered as Messi Day

Messi, en el momento de sustituir a Deco el día de su debut
Messi, en el momento de sustituir a Deco el día de su debut | sport

It's been 15 years since Messi made his first official appearance for Barcelona

Wednesday marks 15 years to the day since Lionel Messi stepped on to the grass for the first time in a Barcelona shirt in an official match. A lot has happened since then and you have to take off your hat in recognition for all that the Argentine has done during that time. Leo has exceeded what many people thought he would be capable of after watching him play for the club's youth teams. 

The individual and collective success he's had since then has been stratospheric. Perhaps no one will ever be able to repeat it. Later on Wednesday, he will receive his sixth European Golden Shoe (2009/2010, 2011/2012, 2012/2013, 2016/2017, 2017/2018 and 2018/2019), the prize given to Europe's top goalscorer. He's one the prestigious award more than anyone else. 

DEBUT 

On Oct. 16, 2004, Frank Rijkaard brought him on for the first time. Messi was 17. Barça were playing at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic against Espanyol. It was their seventh league game of the season. There were 82 minutes on the clock when Rijkaard introduced him in the place of Deco. Messi was wearing the No.30. 

Since then, Messi has embarked on a brilliant career, joining legends like Cruyff, Maradona, Pele and Di Stefano at the top of the game... although the statistics and records he's stacked up make him, for many, the greatest in the history of the game. 

He has won six Golden Shoes, five Ballons d'Or, one FIFA The Best, 36 titles with FC Barcelona and the Argentine national team, 419 goals in La Liga, 112 in the Champions League and another 68 with the national team. In total, he has 671 goals in 823 games. Impressive honours which Leo continues to grow. 

 

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