Career Timeline of Lionel Messi: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Lionel Messi, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer widely considered one of the greatest of all time. He captains both Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. Messi holds records for individual awards, including eight Ballon d'Or wins. He's the most decorated player in football history with 45 trophies, including Big Five league titles, UEFA Champions Leagues, Copa Américas, and a FIFA World Cup. Messi holds records for European Golden Shoes, goals in a year (91), goals for a single club, La Liga goals, hat-tricks, assists, Copa América assists, World Cup goal contributions, international appearances, and international goals for a South American male. He has over 850 career goals and over 380 assists.
1986: Maradona Leads Argentina to World Cup Victory
In 1986, Diego Maradona famously led Argentina to victory in the FIFA World Cup with a dominant performance. This set high expectations for Lionel Messi to achieve similar success with the national team.
1996: Equaling Ronaldo's Club Record
In 2009, Messi scored a total of 47 goals in all competitions, equaling Ronaldo's club record from the 1996–97 campaign.
September 2000: Trial with Barcelona
In September 2000, the Messi family arranged a trial with Barcelona.
November 2003: First-Team Debut in Friendly Against Porto
On 16 November 2003, at 16 years old, Lionel Messi made his first-team debut in a friendly against José Mourinho's Porto.
2003: Progress Through Club Ranks
Lionel Messi progressed through the club's ranks at a rapid pace, debuting for four youth teams during the 2003–04 season and being named player of the tournament in four international pre-season competitions.
February 2004: Signed First Professional Contract
On 4 February 2004, Lionel Messi signed his first professional contract with Barcelona, which lasted until 2012 and contained an initial buyout clause of €30 million.
October 2004: Competitive debut with Barcelona
In October 2004, at the age of 17, Lionel Messi made his competitive debut with Barcelona, marking a significant step in his early career.
2004: Debut for Argentina U20
In 2004, Messi debuted for Argentina's U20 team against Paraguay, marking his first step in representing Argentina at the international level.
2004: Charitable Efforts with UNICEF
Since 2004, Lionel Messi has contributed his time and finances to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
May 2005: First Senior Goal for Barcelona
On 1 May 2005, Lionel Messi scored his first senior goal for Barcelona against Albacete, from an assist by Ronaldinho.
2005: Debut with Senior National Team
In 2005, at age 18, Messi debuted with the senior Argentina national team, coming off the bench in a friendly match against Hungary.
2006: Played and Scored in World Cup
In 2006, Lionel Messi became the youngest Argentine to play and score in a World Cup.
2006: First Start and World Cup Debut
In 2006, Messi had his first start for Argentina against Peru and scored his first international goal in a friendly against Croatia. He also made his World Cup debut as a substitute against Serbia and Montenegro, scoring a goal and becoming the youngest player to represent and score for Argentina in the World Cup.
2006: Goal Comparisons to Maradona & Supercopa de España
In 2006, Messi scored a hat-trick in a Clásico against Real Madrid. Comparisons to Diego Maradona arose due to similarities between Messi's goals against Getafe and Espanyol and Maradona's goals in the 1986 World Cup. Barcelona won the 2006 Supercopa de España.
2006: Main Sponsor: Adidas
Since 2006, Adidas has been Lionel Messi's main sponsor.
2007: Establishment of the Leo Messi Foundation
In 2007, Lionel Messi founded his own charitable organization, the Leo Messi Foundation, which supports access to health care, education, and sport for children.
2007: Copa América Final and Best Young Player Award
In 2007, Messi represented Argentina in the Copa América, where they lost in the final. Despite the loss, Messi was named the best young player of the tournament, contributing two goals and one assist.
2007: Trophy-less Season for Barcelona
The 2007-08 season finished trophyless for Barcelona, leading to Rijkaard's departure.
2008: Signature Adidas Collection
From 2008, Lionel Messi had a long-running signature collection of Adidas F50 boots.
2008: Barcelona's Highest-Paid Player
From 2008, Lionel Messi was Barcelona's highest-paid player, receiving a salary that increased incrementally from €7.8 million to €13 million over the next five years.
2008: Messi and Maradona Work Together
In 2008, Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona began working together for Argentina's national side. Maradona, as manager, was thoroughly impressed with Messi's skills. During this period, Messi received Argentina's number 10 shirt, famously worn by Maradona, who gave Messi his blessing to wear it.
2008: Won Gold Medal in Summer Olympics
In 2008, Lionel Messi won a gold medal in the Summer Olympics.
2008: Olympic Gold Medal
In 2008, Messi led Argentina's U23 team to claim the Olympic gold medal, marking a major achievement with his country. He registered two goals and three assists during the tournament.
2008: Number 10 Shirt and Tactical Focal Point
In 2008, Messi was given the number 10 shirt and became the tactical focal point of Guardiola's possession-based system.
2008: Treble with Barcelona
In 2008, during his first uninterrupted season at age 22, Lionel Messi helped Barcelona achieve the first treble in Spanish football.
2009: PES 2009 Cover
Lionel Messi was the face of Konami's video game series Pro Evolution Soccer, appearing on the cover of PES 2009.
March 2010: UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
In March 2010, Lionel Messi was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
2010: 2010 FIFA World Cup
From 2008 through the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona collaborated as player and manager for Argentina's national team.
2010: Marketing Appeal Widened
From 2010, concurrently with increased achievements as a player, Lionel Messi's marketing appeal widened, leading to long-term endorsement deals with luxury brands Dolce & Gabbana and Audemars Piguet.
2010: Second Consecutive Ballon d'Or and La Liga Title
In 2010, Messi won the Supercopa de España, Champions League, and a third consecutive La Liga title. He also earned his second consecutive Ballon d'Or.
2011: Assumed Argentina's Captaincy
In 2011, Lionel Messi assumed the captaincy for the Argentina national team.
2011: Fundraising for victims
In 2013, a gold replica of his left foot, weighing 25 kg (55 lb) and valued at $5.3 million, went on sale in Japan in 2013 to raise funds for victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
2011: Spanish and European Super Cups
Messi began the 2011–12 season winning both the Spanish and European Super Cups trophies.
2012: Increased Input into Team's Attack
By the end of the 2012–13 season, Messi contributed to more than 40% of the team's goals, increasing significantly from 24% in their treble-winning campaign.
2012: Funded gymnasium at Newell's Old Boys
In 2012, Messi funded the construction of a new gymnasium and dormitory inside the club's stadium for their youth academy at Newell's Old Boys.
2012: Record-Breaking Goal Scoring and Fourth Ballon d'Or
In 2012, Messi won the FIFA Club World Cup and earned the Golden Ball for a second time. Messi became the top goalscorer in Barcelona's history, overtaking César Rodríguez's record. He won his fourth Ballon d'Or and finished the season as league top scorer.
November 2013: Publicity Campaign with Son Thiago
In November 2013, Lionel Messi and his son Thiago participated in a publicity campaign to raise awareness of mortality rates among disadvantaged children.
2013: Signing of Neymar and Supercopa de España
In 2013, Barcelona signed Neymar to offset the load on Messi. The team won the Supercopa de España at the beginning of the season.
2013: Financially supported Sarmiento football club
In 2013, Messi financially supported Sarmiento, committing to the refurbishment of their facilities and the installation of all-weather pitches.
2013: Gold Replica of Left Foot
In 2013, a gold replica of Lionel Messi's left foot went on sale in Japan to raise funds for victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
2014: Became All-Time Top Scorer in La Liga
During the 2014-15 campaign, Lionel Messi became the all-time top scorer in La Liga.
2014: Contract Extension Until 2014
Messi's first contract as a senior team player, signed on his 18th birthday, was updated three months later to keep him at the club until 2014.
2015: Copa América Final Loss
In 2015, Argentina lost to Chile on penalties in the Copa América final. Messi reportedly rejected the Golden Ball award despite scoring one goal and providing three assists.
2015: Adidas Messi Sub-Brand
In 2015, Lionel Messi became the first footballer to receive his own sub-brand of Adidas boots, the Adidas Messi. Also in 2015, a Barcelona jersey with Messi's name and number was the best-selling replica jersey worldwide.
2015: Won Fifth Ballon d'Or
In 2015, Lionel Messi led Barcelona to a historic second treble and won his fifth Ballon d'Or.
2015: UEFA Super Cup Win and FIFA Club World Cup
Messi opened the 2015–16 season by helping Barcelona's win over Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup. Messi capped off the year by winning the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup final over River Plate in Yokohama, collecting his fifth club trophy of the calendar year.
January 2016: Record Fifth FIFA Ballon d'Or
On 11 January 2016, Messi won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for a record fifth time in his career.
June 2016: Won libel case and donated damages
On June 7, 2016, Messi won a libel case against La Razón newspaper and was awarded €65,000 in damages, which he donated to the charity Médecins Sans Frontières.
November 2016: Paid salaries of national team security staff
In November 2016, Messi paid the salaries of three members of the national team's security staff who had not received their salaries for six months.
2016: All-Time Leading Goalscorer and Copa América Centenario Loss
In the 2016 Copa América Centenario semi-final against the United States, Messi became Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer in international matches. Argentina lost to Chile on penalties in the final, with Messi having five goals and four assists throughout the tournament.
2016: Supercopa de España and Copa del Rey Wins
The 2016–17 season would end with Messi winning the Supercopa de España and the Copa del Rey.
November 2017: New Deal with Barcelona
On 25 November 2017, Messi signed a new deal with Barcelona, keeping him with the club through 2021.
2017: New Contract with Barcelona
In 2017, Lionel Messi signed a new contract with Barcelona, earning $667,000 per week in wages, with Barcelona paying him $60 million as a signing on bonus, and his buyout clause was set at $835 million (€700 million).
2017: Adidas Nemeziz Boots
Since 2017, Lionel Messi has worn the latest version of the Adidas Nemeziz boots.
May 2018: Named Barcelona's Captain
In May 2018, with the departure of Andrés Iniesta, Messi was named the team's new captain for the 2018–19 season.
2018: New Contract Commitment
In 2013, Messi signed a new contract committing himself to the club through 2018.
2018: Assumed Barcelona's Captaincy
In 2018, Lionel Messi assumed Barcelona's captaincy.
2019: Won Sixth Ballon d'Or
In 2019, Lionel Messi won a record sixth Ballon d'Or.
2019: 2019 Copa América
In 2019, Messi represented Argentina in the Copa América, registering a single goal and assist. They lost to Brazil in the semi-final but finished third after defeating Chile, marking the start of a 36-game unbeaten streak for Argentina.
2019: Shift in Perception of Messi Among Argentines
In 2019, there was a shift in the perception of Lionel Messi among Argentines. He made a conscious effort to become more integrated with the team, more Argentine, growing more assertive as a leader during the 2019 Copa América.
2020: Desire to Leave Barcelona
Following a disappointing season, Barcelona announced that in 2020 Messi sent the club "a document expressing his desire to leave", but Messi ultimately decided to fulfill the final year of his contract.
2020: Donated to fight coronavirus and took salary cut
In 2020, Messi made a donation worth €1 million to fight the spread of coronavirus and along with his teammates, he announced a 70% cut in salaries during the 2020 coronavirus emergency, to provide fully to salaries of all the clubs employees.
2020: PES 2020 Cover
Lionel Messi was the face of Konami's video game series Pro Evolution Soccer, appearing on the cover of PES 2020.
February 2021: Donated Adidas shoes to Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
In February 2021, Messi donated his Adidas shoes to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya; the shoes were later auctioned off in April for charity to help children with cancer.
June 2021: Ambassador for Hard Rock Cafe
In June 2021, Lionel Messi signed a five-year deal to become an ambassador for the Hard Rock Cafe brand.
August 2021: Joins Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
On 10 August 2021, Messi joined Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for the 2021–22 season on a two-year deal until June 2023 with an option for an extra year.
2021: Won Copa América and Seventh Ballon d'Or
In 2021, Lionel Messi led Argentina to win the Copa América, breaking a 28-year trophy drought, and secured his seventh Ballon d'Or.
2021: Donated shirts to secure COVID-19 vaccines
In 2021, Messi donated three signed shirts to Sinovac Biotech to secure 50,000 doses of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine, CoronaVac.
2021: Copa América Victory
In 2021, Messi led Argentina to victory in the Copa América, ending a 28-year trophy drought. He surpassed Javier Mascherano to become Argentina's most-capped player and was named player of the tournament.
2021: Surpassing Xavi's Record and Copa del Rey Victory
In 2021, Messi surpassed Xavi's record to reach a club record of 768 appearances and led the club to victory in the 2021 Copa del Rey final.
2021: Contract Until 2021
In November 2017, Messi signed a new deal with Barcelona, keeping him with the club through 2021.
2022: Trophée des Champions Win
Beginning the 2022–23 season, Messi would win his second trophy with PSG in the Trophée des Champions.
2022: Argentina's World Cup Win
Following the 2022 World Cup win for Lionel Messi and Argentina, journalist Tim Vickery believed that Messi would now be held in the same esteem by his compatriots as Diego Maradona.
2022: FIFA World Cup Victory and Golden Ball
In 2022, Messi captained Argentina to its first World Cup victory in 36 years, scoring twice in the final against France. He won the Golden Ball, becoming the first player to win it twice, and set new records for appearances and goal contributions at the World Cup.
2022: Focus of Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend
In 2022, Messi career was the focus of Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend
June 2023: PSG contract through June 2023
On 10 August 2021, Messi joined Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for the 2021–22 season on a two-year deal until June 2023 with an option for an extra year.
July 2023: Joined Inter Miami
In July 2023, Lionel Messi joined Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.
September 2023: Ranking in Free Kick Goals
As of September 2023, Messi ranks fifth all time in goals scored from direct free kicks with 65, the most among active players, highlighting his proficiency in set pieces.
October 2023: Awarded Record-Extending Eighth Ballon d'Or
On 30 October 2023, Lionel Messi received his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or, following Argentina's World Cup victory and his Ligue 1 title with PSG. He was also named Time Athlete of the Year.
2023: Won Eighth Ballon d'Or
In 2023, Lionel Messi won a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or.
2023: Reaching 100 International Goals
In 2023, Messi reached 100 international goals in a friendly against Curaçao, becoming the third player and first South American to achieve this milestone. He also became the all-time top goalscorer in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers.
February 2024: Backlash from Hong Kong Exhibition Game
During an exhibition match on February 4, 2024, Inter Miami faced off against the Hong Kong League players at Hong Kong Stadium. Messi remained on the bench the entire game, causing massive backlash in Hong Kong and China, leading to a Messi commercial being taken off air in those regions, and temporarily halting the Chinese Football Association's partnership with the Argentine Football Association on February 8.
February 2024: Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend aired on Apple TV+
On February 21, 2024, "Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend", a biographical docuseries focusing on Messi's career and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, aired on Apple TV+.
2024: Copa América Semi-Final Goal and Record for Appearances
During the 2024 Copa América semi-final against Canada, Messi scored his first and only goal of the tournament, becoming the second-highest international goalscorer of all time. Argentina eventually won the final against Colombia for their second consecutive Copa América title, with Messi setting a new record for most appearances at Copa América (39).
2024: Record-Breaking Season in MLS
During the 2024 season, Messi broke the record for the most assists in a single MLS game with five assists and most goal contributions in an MLS game with six in a 6–2 win over the New York Red Bulls. On 2 October, Messi scored a brace in a 3–2 win over Columbus Crew, clinching the Supporters' Shield, his 46th trophy. In the final game of the regular season on 19 October against the New England Revolution, Messi scored his first hat-trick for the club in a 6–2 victory. He finished the regular season with 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 matches, becoming Inter Miami's all-time leading goalscorer.
2024: First Postseason Appearance and MLS MVP Award
In 2024, Inter Miami made its first postseason appearance in the MLS Cup playoffs, but were eliminated in the first round after losing two games against Atlanta United FC. Messi scored his first postseason goal in the third game, a 3–2 loss. Following the conclusion of the regular season, Messi was named the MLS Most Valuable Player.
2024: Won Copa América
In 2024, Lionel Messi led Argentina to victory in the Copa América.
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