5 players you didn't know played with Lionel Messi
Many consider Lionel Messi as the best player ever to grace the football pitch. The Argentine magician boasts the most number of Ballon d’Or trophies in the history of football. Even the biggest critic of the Barcelona talisman will have to admit that Messi is one of the most talented players football has ever seen.
The Argentine has been a one-club man having joined Barcelona’s youth academy in 2001 at a very young age and made his debut for the Blaugrana in 2003 when he was just 16 years, four months, and 23 days old. Since then, he has created record after record and is still going strong.
Also Read: 5 players who stopped Lionel Messi
Since making his debut Messi has been at the heart of everything Barcelona achieved. The Argentine superstar has won 8 La Liga titles, 4 Champions League medals and numerous other trophies as well as winning a plethora of individual records.
During his career, Messi has played with a host of world-class players like Ronaldinho, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Suarez, and Neymar.
However, there are some players who have shared the pitch with the Argentine superstar who will surprise you.
#1 Maxi Lopez
Argentine forward Maxi Lopez, who now plays for Serie A side Torino, has the experience of playing alongside his countryman Lionel Messi. The two never teamed up for the Argentine national team but played alongside each other at Barcelona, however, for not a long period.
Lopez joined Barcelona from River Plate in 2005 and left the club in 2007 and could never live up to the expectations at Camp Nou.
He played just 19 games for the Catalan giants in two years and scored just one goal, and set up three for his teammates. When Lopez was at Camp Nou, Messi was a bright young player with plenty of potential and was slowly making it to the first-team.