Barcelona‘s shocking decision to part ways with Lionel Messi has sent the entire footballing nation into a frenzy.
The Blaugrana fans have been left in disarray as they feel the best player in their history should not be allowed to leave like this.
It is difficult to overcome such a loss, and most importantly, finding a replacement won’t be easy either.
Nonetheless, the Argentine has etched an unmatchable legacy at the Camp Nou over the years, and his records and achievements to Barca will be spoken for ages.
Here is the list of records Messi managed to achieve during his 21-year spell at the Catalan club.
La Liga titles (10) – most by any player in history.
After creating huge waves in the youth ranks, Messi made his leap to Barca’s first team in 2004. And the rest is what everyone calls history.
Barca had lost their prevalence in La Liga as they failed to lift the title for around five years after last achieving it in 1999. However, Messi’s coming into the fray coincided with the Catalan club’s return to the summit, as he would lead them to a plethora of titles in the years that followed.
The Blaugrana’s last La Liga title in the 2018/19 season marked the tenth of his career, and he also became the player with the most number of league titles in the process.
UEFA Champions League titles (UCL 4 times)
Barca might have become a weaker force in the Champions League after debacles piled up in recent years. Nonetheless, Messi was influential behind the club’s success in the Champions League four times – 2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2014-15. Messi was also an integral part of the Blaugrana side that conquered Europe under the mastermind Pep Guardiola between 2008 and 2012.
Ballon d’Or – six-time winner – most by any player in history
Ballon d’Or has been seen as the crown jewel in deciding a player’s supremacy, and unsurprisingly, Messi has won it for the record six times in his career. And he is not done with it as he looks the favourite for the Ballon d’Or one more time this year.
European Golden shoe (6 times)
Messi is regarded by many as the most complete player in the history of football as his knack of scoring goals and playmaking are second to none. As a testimony to his goal-scoring abilities, he has won the European Golden Shoe for a record six times in his career – 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19.
Pichichi Trophy ( 8 times)
It’s evident that Messi has been La Liga’s best striker over the last decade, and the number of top scorer awards further support it. The 34-year-old has won the Pichichi trophy a record eight times in his career.
In addition, Messi has won numerous accolades at Barca, including Copa del Rey ( 7 titles), Spanish Super Cup (7 titles), UEFA Super Cup (3 titles), FIFA Club World Cup (3 titles), IFFHS World’s best playmaker (4 times) and so on.
