2004: Although he was eligible to play for Spain at international level and attracted interest from the Spanish Federation as a teenager, Messi chose to play for Argentina, something he had always dreamed of.
Reuters/Jose Miguel Gomez JMG
2004: At 17, Messi becomes the youngest ever player to represent the club in an official match after spending most of the year in Barça’s B team.
Reuters/Alexander Kudtipuri
sauce: Guardian
2005: A year later, he earned his first call-up to the Argentina senior national team.
REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh LB/CCK
2005: On his 18th birthday, Messi signed his first contract with the Barcelona senior team, after which he began earning a regular starter at the club.
Reuters/Albert Gere
sauce: ESPN
2006: He also started scoring more time for the national team, scoring his first World Cup goal on his World Cup debut
Action Images/Lee Smith Live Pick
2006: Barcelona struggled, but Messi scored 17 goals to prove he was a true star at just 19
Reuters/Dani Cardona
sauce: BD football
2007: He shined in La Albiceleste’s 2007 Copa America final, starting the entire tournament and scoring two goals at just 20 years old.
Reuters/Jorge Adorno
2008: The 21-year-old Messi led Argentina to a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was named by FIFA as one of the tournament’s outstanding players.
Action Images/Jason O’Brien
sauce: FIFA
2008: After Ronaldinho left Barcelona, Messi took over his signature number 10 jersey and once again finished in the top three in Ballon d’Or and FIFA Player of the Year voting.
Reuters/Gustau Nacarino
sauce: Guardian
2009: The following year, after the Argentine great Riquelme retired from international play, Messi took over the number 10 jersey for his country.
Reuters/Enrique Marcarian
2009: Messi wins the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards for the first time.
Reuters/Albert Gere
sauce: goal.com
2010: Messi and Argentina struggled at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. La Albiceleste were eliminated after a heavy defeat to Germany in the quarter-finals.
Reuters/Dylan Martinez
2010: Argentina were eliminated from the World Cup early, but Messi’s goals-per-game pace at Barcelona was enough to retain the Ballon d’Or for the second year in a row.
Reuters/Albert Gere
sauce: goal.com
2011: Argentina’s struggles continued in the 2011 Copa America, where Messi and his teammates struggled to score and finished the tournament in the quarterfinals.
Reuters/Jorge Adorno
2011: Messi nevertheless won the Ballon d’Or for the third year in a row, scoring 43 goals and 21 assists in 47 appearances for Barcelona.
Reuters/Sergio Perez
sauce: BBC
2012: Messi was named captain of Argentina and tied the record with 12 goals in nine games under new manager Alejandro Savera.
Reuters/Eliseo Fernandez
sauce: Guardian
2013: He continued his upward trajectory in Argentina as team chemistry improved and La Albiceleste qualified for the 2014 World Cup.
AP Photo/Andre Penner
2013: Messi wore the Barcelona captain’s band for the first time in 2013, but an injury derailed his season and left him second only to Cristiano Ronaldo in the Ballon d’Or voting.
Reuters/Pepe Marin
2014: Messi wins the 2014 World Cup Golden Ball despite Argentina losing 1-0 to Germany in the final.
Reuters/Damir Sagorji
2014: Messi becomes LaLiga’s all-time top scorer, breaking Telmo Zala’s 59-year record of 251 goals in the Spanish top league.
Reuters/Gustau Nacarino
sauce: BBC
2015: Argentina advanced to yet another final, this time the 2015 Copa America, but lost on penalties to hosts Chile.
Reuters/Ivan Alvarado
2015: With 48 goals in the season, Messi led Barcelona to victory in LaLiga, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, winning a record fifth Ballon d’Or.
AP Photo/Martin Meissner
sauce: ESPN
2016: After losing again on penalties to Chile in the 2016 Copa America Centenario, a frustrated Messi announced his short-term retirement from international play.
AP Photo/Charles Krupa
2016: Messi was Europe’s top scorer that year with 51 goals, but was second only to Cristiano Ronaldo in the Ballon d’Or voting.
AP Photo/Manu Fernandez
sauce: CBSsports
2017: He returns to a struggling national team, scoring a hat-trick against Ecuador to secure Argentina’s World Cup bid
Reuters/Henry Romero
sauce: Guardian
2017: Messi enjoyed one of the most memorable moments of his career when he scored the injury-time match winner at El Clasico — becoming Barça’s 500th career winner — and his jersey celebrated by lifting it up for the Real Madrid fans
OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images
sauce: brand
2018: After finishing second in their group at the 2018 World Cup, Messi and Argentina lost in the round of 16 to eventual champions France by decision 3-4.
AP Photo/Riccardo Mazarin
2018: For the first time since 2009, Messi became Barcelona’s captain and failed to finish in the top two in Ballon d’Or voting despite scoring more goals than any other player on the planet.
Reuters/Albert Gere
sauce: Barcelona
2019: Messi returns to Argentina after a long hiatus from international competition, helping the team to a third-place finish in the 2019 Copa America.
REUTERS/Washington Alves
2019: Messi wins a record sixth Ballon d’Or after leading Barça to their 10th LaLiga title and the most goals scored in the Champions League and across Europe.
Josep Lago/AFP via Getty Images
sauce: Barcelona
2020: Messi and Argentina off to a strong start to 2022 World Cup qualifiers
Reuters/Marcelo Enderi
2020: Messi joins the 700-goal club, the 630th of his career with Barcelona, but two months later he shocks the world by announcing his intention to leave Barça for a new team. gave
Manu Fernandez/Pool via REUTERS
sauce: sports illustrated
2021: Messi has his most fulfilling year yet in Argentina, leading La Albiceleste to the Copa America title, earning Tournament of the Tournament and Golden Boot honors.
Reuters/Amanda Perovelli
2021: After 20 years at Barcelona, Messi moves to Paris Saint-Germain in France, where he teams up with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar to form the European juggernaut.
Lionel Messi took a pay cut to join PSG.
Getty/Mahdi Taamallah