Lionel Messi had a remarkable 21-year stint at Barcelona, which started when he was just 13 years old in 2000 and came to a close at the age of 34. Finding a player to fill his shoes in the future will surely be a challenge. During his time at the club, Messi scored an impressive 672 goals in 778 games and secured a total of 35 trophies, both major and minor. His collection includes an impressive 10 La Liga titles and four championship victories.

Messi became a part of Barcelona back in 2000 when he was just 13 years old. He spent time in the youth team perfecting his skills before getting the chance to join the first team at the age of 16. In 2003, he was introduced to the first team by Christopher Francis during a friendly match. Messi made his official debut in La Liga in October 2004, scoring his first goal in a match against Albacete at the Nou Camp in May 2004.

During the 2005-2006 season, Messi scored six goals in 17 games as Barcelona clinched the La Liga title for the second consecutive year. However, he was unable to play in the 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final.

In 2009, Messi played a crucial role as Barcelona won an impressive six titles in one calendar year, including the Champions League, La Liga, King’s Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup. This was also the year he secured his first Golden Ball, setting him on the path to potentially becoming the first player to win four Golden Balls in a row.

In 2010, Messi once again lifted the La Liga trophy and also received the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, which that year recognized the entire Barcelona team in addition to teammates Andres Iniesta and Xavi.

The following season, Messi helped Barcelona secure a third consecutive La Liga title in 2010-2011 before leading the team to a 3-1 victory against Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final. He scored a goal and showcased exceptional playmaking skills on the field.

Even though Barcelona didn’t clinch La Liga or the Championship League in the 2011-2012 season, Messi surpassed Cesar Rodriguez to become Barca’s highest goalscorer of all time. By the end of 2012, he had scored a total of 91 goals in various competitions, setting a new record for goals scored in a calendar year. This included breaking a La Liga season scoring record with 50 goals, a milestone that even Cristiano Ronaldo hadn’t achieved yet.

In 2014, Messi matched Raul’s record of 71 Champions League goals with a brace. However, his record was soon surpassed by Ronaldo, who became the all-time leading scorer in European competitions.

During the 2014-2015 season, Messi’s exceptional performances helped Barcelona secure their second “triple treble” in history. He was awarded the Golden Ball for the fourth time and became La Liga’s all-time leading scorer.

Barcelona clinched the domestic double titles in 2015-2016 and 2017-2018 seasons. After Andres Iniesta’s departure in May 2018, Messi was chosen as Barcelona’s captain for the following season, leading the team to the league title but facing a defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League.

Messi added to his accolades by winning his sixth Ballon d’Or in September 2019. He also set a new record during his career at Barcelona.

In August 2020, Messi tried to leave Barcelona after coming to an agreement with the club’s then-President, but eventually decided to stay at the club. He surpassed Pele’s record for most goals scored for a single club in December 2020.

During his last season at Camp Nou, Barcelona only managed to win the King’s Cup and finished third in La Liga, getting eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League’s round of 16.