UCL Player Profile #1: Lionel Messi
UCL Player Profile #1: Lionel Messi
Full Name: Lionel Andrés Messi
Birth Place: Rosario, Argentina
Nationality: Argentinian
DOB: 24th June 1987
UCL Debut: 7th December 2004 vs Shakhtar Donetsk (aged 17)
UCL Titles: 4 (2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2014/15)
Goals: 129 (120 - Barcelona, 9 - PSG)
First UCL Goal: 2nd November 2005 vs Panathinaikos
Last UCL Goal: 25th October 2022 vs Maccabi Haifa
Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest ever player to grace the game, and he was one of the greatest to ever play in the Champions League, smashing for records in his prime well helping Barcelona to four Champions League titles between his tenure at the club from 2004 to 2021. As always, all good things come to an end, as Messi had to say goodbye to his boyhood club, shocking the football world tremendously. However, Messi wasn't done with the Champions League, as he made a move to Paris Saint Germain in the summer of '21. Moments of magic plus a forward trio with former teammate, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé weren't enough to win PSG their first Champions League title as Messi left Europe for the MLS in 2023. He was gone, but his legacy would always remain.
MESSI'S JOURNEY IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:
BARCELONA (2004-2021):
Messi made his first Champions League appearance during his breakthrough season in 2004, starting the final group game in Barca's 2-0 loss against Shakhtar Donetsk in Kyiv. Unfortunately for Barcelona, their campaign would soon end, as Chelsea defeated them 5-4 on aggregate. The following season, Messi helped Barcelona reach the final in Saint-Denis, scoring his first Champions League goal on Matchday 4 against Panathinaikos, the third goal in a 5-0 thrashing. However, injury in their Round of 16 second leg encounter with Chelsea prevented him from playing in the final. Nonetheless, Barca went on to win their second Champions League title, earning Messi a winner's medal.
The following season, Messi scored in Barca's 1-1 draw against Werder Bremen to rescue the Blaugrana a point on matchday 2, but the campaign ended in disappointment when they exited again through the last 16 to Liverpool on away goals. The 2007-08 campaign saw an much more different Messi, as he and Barcelona charged to the semi finals, with the Argentinian scoring 6 goals, including his first Champions League brace in the last 16 against Celtic. In the semi finals, he faced off against Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time in his career, who was playing for Manchester United at the time. After a 0-0 draw in Catalonia, a lone goal from Paul Scholes was enough to send Barca out of the Champions League.
The 2008-09 season saw the dawn of a new era for Barcelona, and a very successful one too. Pep Guardiola took to the helm at Barcelona, and Messi was given the esteemed no. 10 jersey, following Ronaldinho's departure to AC Milan. This time, Messi alongside Barcelona made another Champions League final, scoring eight times, before scoring again in the final, against Ronaldo's Manchester United to win his second Champions League title and Barca's third. After a semi final exit in the 2009-10 to Inter Milan, Messi eventually won his third Champions League title in 2011, scoring in the final against Manchester United again.
However, semi final and quarter final exits between 2012 and 2014 prevented Messi from getting his hands of the European Cup; yet, that didn't stop him from obtaining new records. On March 7th 2012, Messi became the first player to score five goals in a single Champions League game in Barcelona's 7-1 victory of Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.
The 2014-15 season saw new manager, Luis Enrique take to the helm for the Catalans. With new signing, Luis Suarez now with the club, the team's attack looked much better, as Neymar was already there, forming the greatest attacking trio of all time "MSN", consisting of Messi, Suarez and Neymar. This time, Barca made it all the way to the final, with Messi, Neymar and Suarez scoring a combined total of 23 goals en route to Berlin. In the final, Barca defeated Juventus 3-1 to win their fifth Champions League title, and Messi's fourth.
On the opening day of the 2015-16 season, Messi made his 100th appearance in the Champions League in Barcelona's opening game against Roma, and became the youngest player to do so at 28 years and 84 days. However, it wasn't until March 2018 when Messi would score his 100th Champions League goal, which came in a last 16 tie over Chelsea. The start of the 2018-19 season would see Messi score his eight Champions League hat-trick, becoming the first player to do so, before he scored his 600th goal for the club in the semi finals, which was a beautiful free kick against Liverpool. However, a miraculous comeback by the Merseyside team saw them make the final and Messi's side crashing out of the competition. The 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns weren't any better as quarter final and round of 16 exits prevented Messi from winning his fifth Champions League title. In the summer of 2021, financial issues with the club saw the end of an era, as Lionel Messi and Barcelona announced that he would not stay at the club, ending Messi's time with his beloved club.
PSG (2021-2023):
After becoming a free agent in the summer transfer window, Messi joined French giants, Paris Saint Germain, which saw him reunited with Neymar and compatriot, Angel Di Maria. Messi made his Champions League debut for the club against Club Brugge, before scoring his first goal for the Parisians in a 2-0 win over former manager Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. Messi scored another four goals that season, but PSG's Champions League journey came to an end when Real Madrid knocked them out in the last 16 of the competition.
The following season saw the arrival of Christophe Galtier at PSG, and with the departure of Angel Di Maria, Messi was included the starting 11 more often. That season, Messi scored four times that season, including scoring against Maccabi Haifa, which was the 40th different opponent Messi scored against in the Champions League, a new record. Unfortunately, Messi couldn't deliver the dream of a first Champions League title to PSG, as Messi announced he would leave PSG at the end of the 2022-23 season. Messi wouldn't return to Barcelona however, as he headed to the MLS to join Inter Miami, ending an era in the Champions League for the Argentinian.
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