Lionel Messi makes an emotional gesture towards Barca

Lionel Messi delivers an emotional message to Barcelona while marking an “amazing” milestone as an Inter Miami player.

Lionel Messi shared a touching message with Barcelona on the occasion of celebrating “a remarkable milestone” in his career. Exactly 21 years ago today, Messi made his La Liga debut by coming on late in the derby victory over Espanyol 1-0. While Barcelona was defending a narrow lead, then-coach Frank Rijkaard didn’t hesitate to give the Argentine a chance by substituting him in for Deco in the final minutes.

Messi entered the match in the 80th minute of the October 2004 Derbi Barceloní at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Deco’s sole goal in the 9th minute secured an important win for Barca on their way to the La Liga title that season. Wearing the number 30 jersey, Messi played only 7 La Liga matches in 2004/05, competing with star players like Samuel Eto’o, Ronaldinho, Henrik Larsson, and Ludovic Giuly.

However, this marked the start of one of the most illustrious careers in football history. Over 21 years at the top level, Messi has won countless individual and team honors, becoming Barcelona’s greatest legend. The 2011/12 season was the peak of his career, scoring 73 goals in 60 matches for the Catalan club—a record-breaking figure never seen before.

La Liga’s official account also commemorated this special day with a video on social media platform X, capturing the moment Messi replaced Deco, accompanied by the caption: “The beginning of a LEGEND. On this day in 2004, Messi (wearing number 30) made his La Liga debut.” After two seasons wearing number 30, Messi switched to number 19, and then in 2008 officially donned the iconic number 10 jersey, which has been synonymous with his name ever since (except for a brief period at PSG).

Leaving Barcelona in 2021 under regrettable circumstances, Messi joined PSG for two seasons before transferring to Inter Miami in 2023. On this special occasion, he posted a photo of himself in a Barca jersey on Instagram with the caption: “21 years... unbelievable.”

Currently, Messi is aiming to create new historic milestones with Inter Miami. His team, nicknamed “The Herons,” is third in the MLS Eastern Conference, four points behind leaders Philadelphia Union. At 38 years old, Messi has yet to win the MLS Cup with Inter Miami, despite claiming the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters’ Shield.

Coach Javier Mascherano’s squad includes many familiar former Barcelona players like Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, along with newcomer Rodrigo De Paul. Inter Miami is expected to contend for its first-ever MLS Cup title since its founding in 2018, despite having had stars like Gonzalo Higuaín and Blaise Matuidi in previous years.

Messi continues to be the driving force in this journey, leading with 26 goals and 15 assists—ranking first and second in the entire MLS this season. Suárez, Busquets, and Alba have also contributed significantly before the two Spanish stars announced their retirement at the season’s end. Busquets was a key player in Spain’s 2010 World Cup victory, and both he and Alba played major roles in the 2012 Euro win—golden moments for La Roja that they are now continuing alongside Messi in the United States.

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