MESSI | 500 Not Out

From a humble city upbringing in Argentina to being on top of the football universe, Lionel Messi has taken on the world of football and won. Having scored his 500^th Barcelona goal this week, we took a look at the brilliant forward.

Born in Rosario, a city in Argentina he was passionate about the game since the age of four and joined boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys at the age of six. He scored almost 500 goals from the youth team in just six years at the club, and was part of the famous ‘Class of 87’ side named after the year of the teams birth who were dominant at their youth level.

Messi obviously talented was threatened hugely at the age of ten when his career was almost halted. He had a growth hormone disease and with Newell’s not paying his health insurance he looked to move to River Plate. They were also unable to pay the high fees with a financial struggle in the country at the time; the Messi family with connections to Catalonia arranged a trial with Spanish giants of Barcelona.

Impressing during his trial, a young Messi wasn’t offered a deal straight away with the board holding off. Coach Charly Rexach was desperate to bring him to the club and when the club was given an ultimatum Messi was offered a deal by Rexach on a paper napkin as there was no other paper to hand!

He began to play for the Barcelona ‘C’ team in 2003 scoring five goals in ten games saving the side from relegation and scoring an eight minute hatrick in the Copa del Rey whilst being man marked by a young Sergio Ramos.

He would step up to Barcelona ‘B’ in 2004. He had previously signed a contract at 16 with a 30,000,000 Euro buy-out clause but after making his debut in the Segunda Division B it was automatically increased to 80,000,000 Euro. He scored six times in eighteen games and on October 16^th 2004 he made his competitive debut for the first team. Although in the unfamiliar position of right wing, Messi came on to the pitch after 82 minutes against Espanyol.

From 2005 onwards Messi went from strength to strength scoring his first goal on May 1^st of that year with an assist from Ronaldinho against Albacete making him the club’s youngest debutant and youngest goal scorer.

As manager Frank Rijkaard departed and Pep Guardiola took over at the Camp Nou, the style of football changed at Barcelona, making them the most dominant side season after season. The man who spearheaded that was Messi with the likes of Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Carlos Puyol and Dani Alves. It was a time where the club won four La Liga titles on the bounce and two Champions League’s between 2008 and 2013.

But it was his individual brilliance that put him in the worlds eye. His constant dedication and unrivalled skill saw him pick up the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2009 and the Ballon’dor three years in a row from 2010 to 2013. He’s won countless others including six of the last seven ‘La Liga Player of the Year’ trophies.

To scale down Messi’s career into one piece would be impossible, the amount he’s won defies belief both with his club and individually. The only thing he’s missing is honours internationally with Argentina, having lost out on the Copa America as well as the World Cup, losing in the Final to Germany in 2014.

 Now at the age of 29, he’s got a few more seasons yet. But the debate has been going on since his early twenties, now on 500 goals he may be considered the greatest of all time. And was there any better way than in the Classico in the 90th minute to beat Real Madrid? It's the perfect fairytale.

 Here at Vintage Football Shirts we have a number of Lionel Messi replica shirts from both Barcelona and Argentina, prices start from as little as £19.99!