Soccer superstar Lionel Messi broke down in tears during an emotional press conference where he confirmed that he is leaving his longtime club FC Barcelona. Messi, 34, who joined FC Barcelona’s famed youth academy aged 13, and is the club’s all-time top scorer and appearance maker, entered the press conference Sunday afternoon. His top 3 performances for Barcelona are discussed below.
Barcelona 3-0 Bayern Munich (UEFA Champions League, 2014-15)
Of all the iconic moments Lionel Messi has produced for Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, none can compare to his decimation of Jerome Boateng and the Bayern Munich defense. Barcelona eased to a 3-0 victory on the day after an impressive performance and Lionel Messi deservedly seized the limelight with a performance for the ages.
Barcelona 3-3 Real Madrid (La Liga, 2006-07)
The true sense of a Barcelona player’s worth is derived solely from his achievements in El Clasico. The Catalans have shared a rivalry with Real Madrid for well over a century and clashes between them are an embodiment of Spain’s footballing legacy. It was at this stage that a 19-year-old Lionel Messi decided to announce himself to the footballing world as a bonafide modern-day great. The teenage prodigy stunned Los Blancos with three brilliant goals and scored a legendary El Clasico hat-trick to steal a point for Barcelona.
Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United (UEFA Champions League, 2010-11)
While Lionel Messi did score only one goal on the day, his performance against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final in 2011 was arguably his magnum opus. Messi was quite literally unstoppable on the day and inspired Pep Guardiola’s side to one of the most memorable performances in footballing history.
Barcelona thoroughly dominated the game with Xavi and Andres Iniesta pulling the strings in midfield. Pedro opened the scoring for Barcelona but Manchester United bounced back with a Wayne Rooney equalizer before half-time.
Barcelona honors
UEFA Champions League: 3*
Liga: 10
Copa del Rey: 7
UEFA Super Cup: 3
Spanish Super Cup: 7
FIFA Club World Cup: 3
*Messi played in the final wins of 2009, 2011, and 2015. In 2005/06 he did appear in the competition but did not take part in the final.
Total appearances: 778 (club record)
Total goals: 672 (club record)
However, during the press conference, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner said he had not made up his mind about his future. Although he said, PSG is “one possibility.”
