Photos of Lionel Messi from every year of his historic career show just how long he was with Barcelona
Meredith Cash
Marcelo Boeri/El Grafico/Getty and AP Photo/Manu Fernandez/Pool
- After 16 years with FC Barcelona, Lionel Messi has decided to part ways with the club he's played with for his entire professional career.
- The club confirmed that the Argentinian superstar plans to activate a clause to unilaterally terminate his contract.
- The six-time Ballon d'Or winner led Barca to four UEFA Champions League titles, six Copas del Rey, and 10 La Liga titles during his tenure with the club.
- Take a look back at one photo from each year of Messi's tenure with Barcelona:
2003: At 16 years old, Messi made his debut for Barcelona during a friendly against Porto
Marcelo Boeri/El Grafico/Getty Images
Source: The Guardian
2004: After spending most of the year starting for Barca's B team, a 17-year-old Messi became the youngest player ever to represent the club in an official match
REUTERS/Alexander Khudotioply
Source: The Guardian
2005: On his 18th birthday, Messi signed his first contract with the senior team and later began earning regular starts for the club
REUTERS/Albert Gea
Source: ESPN
2006: Though Barcelona began to struggle, Messi scored 17 goals in to help make the case that he was a bona fide star at just 19 years old
REUTERS/Dani Cardona
Source: BD Futbol
2007: Spanish media christened Messi as the "Messiah" after he finished third in Ballon d'Or voting and second in the FIFA Player of the Year rankings at just 20 years old
REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Source: ESPN
2008: After Ronaldinho's departure, Messi assumed Barcelona's No. 10 jersey and once again finished top-3 in both Ballon d'Or and FIFA Player of the Year voting
REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino
Source: The Guardian
2009: Messi won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards, the former of which he won by a then-record margin of 240 points
REUTERS/Albert Gea
Source: Goal.com
2010: Though Argentina made an early exit from the World Cup, Messi's goal-per-game pace with Barcelona was enough to retain the Ballon d'Or for a second consecutive year
REUTERS/Albert Gea
Source: Goal.com
2011: Messi won the Ballon d'Or for the third consecutive year thanks to 43 goals and 21 assists in 47 games for Barcelona
REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Source: BBC
2012: Messi was once again honored as the world's best footballer, becoming the first and only man ever to win the Ballon d'Or in four consecutive years
REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo
Source: Barcelona
2013: Messi wore the Barcelona captain's band for the first time in 2013, but injuries derailed his season and left him finishing behind Cristiano Ronaldo in Ballon d'Or voting
REUTERS/Pepe Marin
2014: Messi became La Liga's all-time leading scorer, breaking Telmo Zarra's 59-year record of 251 goals in Spain's top league
REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino
Source: BBC
2015: With 48 goals on the year, Messi led Barca to victories in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup en route to his record fifth Ballon d'Or
AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Source: ESPN
2016: Messi scored 51 goals to become Europe's top scorer for the year, but placed second in Ballon d'Or voting behind Cristiano Ronaldo
AP Photo/Manu Fernandez
Source: CBS Sports
2017: Messi enjoyed one of the most memorable moments of his career when he scored a stoppage-time game-winner in El Clásico — his 500th-career game-winner for Barca — and celebrated by taking off his jersey and holding it up for Real Madrid fans
OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images
Source: Marca
2018: For the first time since 2009, Messi did not finish in the top-two in Ballon d'Or voting despite becoming Barcelona's captain and scoring more goals than any other player on the planet
REUTERS/Albert Gea
Source: Barcelona
2019: Messi won a record sixth Ballon d'Or after leading Barca to its 10th La Liga title and scoring the most goals in both the Champions League and all of Europe
JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images
Source: Barcelona
2020: Messi joined the exclusive 700-goal club on his 630th career goal for Barcelona, but the Argentine shocked the world two months later when he announced his intention to depart Barca for a new squad
Manu Fernandez/Pool via REUTERS
Source: Sports Illustrated
Now check out the details of Messi's decision to move on:
REUTERS/Susana Vera TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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