On Thursday, football superstar Lionel Messi hit another milestone in his successful career by celebrating the 10th anniversary of his Barcelona debut. Here is a look back at the Argentina star's 10 best moments in the scarlet and blue of the Blaugrana.
1. First goal (vs Albacete, May 2005)
The one that started it all. Coming on as a substitute, Messi got on the end of a lobbed through ball from Brazilian star Ronaldinho and coolly chipped the goalkeeper with his first touch, making him Barcelona's youngest-ever scorer in the La Liga then at the age of 17 years, 10 months and seven days old. The record would be broken by Bojan Krkic two years later. This would be the first of his 401 goals, and counting, for the club.
2. Now you see me, now you don't (vs Real Madrid, October 2006)
Fabio Cannavaro and Roberto Carlos, two world-class defenders and World Cup winners, were made to look like amateurs by the irrepressible Messi. Dribbling down the right and followed by the Real Madrid duo, the Barca forward nutmegged Cannavaro before laying the ball on a platter for striker Eidur Gudjohnsen. However, the Icelandic striker failed to do justice to the move by blazing the ball over.
3. First El Clasico hat-trick (vs Real Madrid, March 2007)
He has scored two hat-tricks in the eternal grudge match against Real. But the first one, as a 19-year-old teenager, undoubtedly announced Messi's arrival as a bona fide star. Real led three times at the Bernabeu, but Messi pegged them back each time in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
4. Which planet did he come from? (vs Getafe, April 2007)
What you can do, I can too. In a Copa del Rey match against Getafe, Messi replicated Argentina legend Diego Maradona's solo goal against England in the 1986 World Cup. Receiving the ball in his own half, Messi, like Maradona, went on a mazy dribble, running half the pitch and beating six opponents before putting the ball in the net. In another uncanny similarity, both players took 13 touches en route to scoring.
5. Steel and grace (vs Real Zaragoza, October 2009)
A lesson in strength and grace. Messi shrugged off an opponent clearly trying to wrestle him to the ground, beat a second defender, then turned a third one inside out before unleashing a low shot past the goalkeeper.
6. The Real Deal (vs Real Madrid, April 2011)
Messi has scored 21 goals against arch-rivals Real. But this, in the dying minutes of a Champions League semi-final, is arguably his best. Taking the ball from team-mate Sergio Busquets, he charged at - and beat - Real's entire backline, before slotting the ball past a hapless Iker Casillas.
7. Five-goal, five-star (vs Bayer Leverkusen, March 2012)
One match, five goals, the first player in Champions League history to do so. Enough said.
8. More headache for Real (vs Real Madrid, October 2012)
Step aside David Beckham, Messi is no slouch at free-kicks too. Here, he scores a stunning free-kick against nemesis Real Madrid in a 2-2 draw.
9. The sorcerer (vs Athletic Bilbao, April 2013)
Messi at his glorious best again. Like a conjurer, Messi hypnotised three Bilbao players with some mesmerising footwork, before skipping past all of them and firing a low shot into the bottom corner.
10. The King of Lobs (vs Rayo Vallecano, February 2014)
One of Messi's trademark moves - lifting the ball over the goalkeeper in a one-on-one. Against Rayo Vallecano, he latched on to Cesc Fabregas' through ball before lobbing the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper with effortless ease, paving the way for a 6-0 Barcelona win.
