The word ‘greatness’ has been attached to Lionel Messi for a number of years now, but it wasn’t always like that.
Messi has built his reputation on magic moment after magic moment, from his first appearances as a long-haired teenager at Barcelona to his age-defying run against Croatia in the World Cup semi-final.
As the 35-year-old prepares for a final shot at greatness against France on Sunday, Sportsmail’s experts recall their favourite moments from football’s modern-day genius.
Lionel Messi has a final shot at greatness on Sunday in the World Cup final against France
Martin Keown – PSG 2-0 MAN CITY, SEPTEMBER 2021
I was at the Parc des Princes and Lionel Messi’s spell in Paris had not officially taken off. He was yet to score or assist a goal and some were saying he was past his best. Then all that changed as Messi reassured everyone he remains capable of complete brilliance. He glided across the turf, played a one-two with Kylian Mbappe, then found the top-right corner beyond Ederson, delivering the first magic moment of his new life in France.
Ian Herbert – BARCELONA 1-0 MAN CITY, MARCH 2015
The way he navigated the ball across the Nou Camp grass that night was almost beyond words. It was the night of the nutmeg, in which James Milner discovered the particular kind of humiliation when you are left on your backside in front of 92,551 people by a player who has sent a ball through your legs with his instep. It was in that moment the low incantation of ‘Messi, Messi’ started thundering through the place. He’d driven the ball through Fernandinho’s legs, 20 minutes earlier. The 1-0 scoreline, for Barcelona, told a fraction of the story. Beautiful. Utterly unplayable.
He has won games on his own numerous times over a 19-year professional career
Rob Draper- BARCELONA 3-3 REAL MADRID, MARCH 2007
The clock had just ticked over 90 minutes. Barcelona were trailing 3-2 at home in the Clasico. Barcelona had been knocked out of the Champions League that week, Real Madrid too. It’s the first Barca-Real Madrid game I’ve been to and the atmosphere is flat, both clubs are seemingly in a mess. But there’s this kid, wearing No 19. Everyone knows this 19-year-old is really good. I’m living in Barcelona at the time and while socios talk about Xavi and Iniesta eventually we would always end up talking about this kid. How good is he?
There have been so many new Maradonas. Barca have signed a lot of them. He’s very shy. Maybe he’s not a real winner? The first half is crazy. Madrid keep going ahead but Messi scores twice to pin them back. Madrid go 3-2 ahead. And then the clock ticks over 90 minutes. It’s been a desperate week for Barca and there’s no fight in them. It’s 90 minutes and one second now and Ronaldinho has played a ball into the kid. He accelerates, leaves a player on the floor, pushes into the box, rides another challenge and scores.
He burst on to the scene in 2007 with a stunning hattrick against Real Madrid
The place takes off. I’ve seen him score better goals but there was something about that moment, in the bars and clubs afterwards. Everyone is sharing something special. It’s the feeling sports fans chase more than anything; it comes only a few times in your life. Might we just have witnessed something here? Might this kid be the one? A month later, on a mild spring evening, he dribbles round the entire Getafe team to score one of the great goals in the mould of Diego’s against England, and then we know for sure: this kid is for real and he is the one.
Matt Barlow – BARCELONA 4-1 ARSENAL, APRIL 2010
The first flush of world-class Messi soon after winning his first Ballon d’Or and perhaps peak Barca. They tore apart Arsenal, who had done reasonably well to fight back from two down in the first leg to lead 3-2 on aggregate when Nicklas Bendtner scored first in the Nou Camp.
Enter Messi, who scored three goals in 20 minutes, lashing one in with great power from the edge of the area, pouncing on a loose ball for his second and sprinting clear to complete his hat trick with a delicious chip. That was that as far as the tie was concerned. He added a fourth with a now trademark mazy dribble and finished low at the second attempt. Arsene Wenger hailed the 22-year-old as the world’s best and no one present was about to disagree.
His performance against Arsenal in 2010 established him as one of the world’s best
He saw things quicker, moved across the grass at exhilarating speed, able to go either way and was technically faultless. That night we all thought we had seen a footballer from a different dimension.
Pete Jenson – REAL MADRID 2-3 BARCELONA, APRIL 2017
The celebration at the Bernabeu after his 500th goal. Bloodied by an elbow from Marcelo in the first half, Messi had recovered to slalom his way through Real Madrid’s defence and cancel out Casemiro’s opener. But that’s not the moment that sticks in the mind from this 2017 Clasico.
The game was two minutes into injury time at the end with the score at 2-2 when Messi got the winner — his 500th career goal. He then took off his number 10 shirt and held it out to the hissing Madrid public as if to say: I’m the boss, even in the fortress of my enemy.
Fittingly, the Argentinian’s 500th career goal came with an iconic winner against Real Madrid
Dominic King – BARCELONA 3-0 LIVERPOOL, MAY 2019
It’s always a privilege to report when Messi is playing because there is always the potential for him to do something extraordinary — and that is precisely what he did against Liverpool. From 30 yards, to the sound of an increasingly quickening drum beat, the goal he scored defied logic. He put the ball in the one area that couldn’t be defended, a strike that made you leap from your seat in amazement.
I’d also put forward a goal he scored against Osasuna in April 2017. I was on a busman’s holiday with two of my three boys, who are besotted with him. He ran through and lobbed the keeper in front of them. The look on their faces encapsulated the magic he creates.
Oliver Holt – BARCELONA 4-1 ESPANYOL, DECEMBER 2016
I got two tickets for the La Liga game and took my nine-year-old son to the Nou Camp so that one day, he could tell his kids and his grandkids he had seen Messi play. The highlight for him was Neymar doing a rainbow flick — I didn’t know it was called that at the time, either — but I was spellbound by Messi. It’s my favourite memory of seeing him play because my son was there with me.
Messi has provided countless ‘I was there’ moments for fans across Europe
Barcelona won 4-1 and Messi set up two goals, one with a beautiful, mazy dribble, and then, in the 90th minute, he slotted one home to complete his night and ours. We walked back to the hotel like we were walking on air and the next morning, we bought a copy of Sport newspaper as a souvenir. My son has it framed on his wall. There’s a picture of Messi beneath the headline. ‘El Messias,’ it says.
P.S. ONE NOT SO MAGICAL MOMENT…
Kieran Gill – BARCELONA 2-1 LAS PALMAS, SEPTEMBER 2015
I flew to Barcelona (£150), checked into my hotel (£200), picked up my ticket (£50) and went for an Estrella with my old man, John, and Uncle Mally (£10). We walked into the Nou Camp, giddy at the thought of seeing the game’s greatest footballer. The seats were superb, behind the goal. Kick off, Barcelona are attacking our end.
Two minutes in, Messi gets the ball. Here we go. He beats his man. Here we go. He’s in on goal. Here we go. Then he drops down injured. Torn knee ligament. Messi is substituted and is sidelined for two months. Someday I’ll tell the grandkids about spending £400 to fly to another country to see my favourite footballer for two minutes. The Estrella was nice, at least.