The history of FC Barcelona changed forever on October 16th, 2004: the day that a young boy made his official debut for the club. That young boy was Lionel Messi. He entered the game to play the final minutes of the Catalan derby between Espanyol and Barcelona in 2004/2005 campaign.
Having already stood out from the masses of La Masia for some time, after his arrival at the beginning of the century. The little boy with growth problems from Rosario, Argentina, signed his first contract on a restaurant napkin. In spite of a few initial doubts, 'Culè' luminary, Carles Rexach clearly saw that this boy was going to be a star.
The unthinkable followed much later. Leo Messi has smashed all known records created in the history of both FC Barcelona, and the overall sport of football. When compared one on one with Maradona, Pelé, Cruyff and Di Stefano, the diminutive Argentine beats them all. 14 years of Messi, 14 years of living history.
The lefty, then a very thin, long-haired youngster appeared on the touchline in the 82nd minute to replace the Portuguese Deco. He had already featured for the senior side in a friendly with FC Porto. On the pitch at Espanyol's RCDE Stadium, he made his debut in the famous striped shirt of Barcelona. Dutchman Frank Rijkaard was the coach who gave him the nod.
At this point,here is not much left to say about Leo Messi. His statistics in a Barcelona shirt to date (October 16 2018): 648 games, 562 goals and 214 assists. He has won 33 trophies: four Champions Leagues and nine La Liga crowns the highlights of an outstanding career so far.
The speedy forward quickly became capable of controlling a match from almost anywhere on the field. Five Ballon d'Or, five golden boots speak for his claim to the title of King of football. Only Cristiano Ronaldo is worthy of contesting the honour.
Messi has now completed 14 years in the first team at FC Barcelona, and the club wants to remember the occasion that he first represented the side, and some of his other dynamic displays in the early days of his time in Catalonia. Perhaps this is the most important facet of Messi's legacy: a player above the records, who has himself transcended the game by producing passes, goals and individual displays that have never before been seen... until October 16, 2004, when as a skinny boy, he waited on the touchline to face Espanyol in his first ever Barcelona match.