5 reasons why Barcelona will never be able to replace Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi's departure from Barcelona is a hard one to take. The club's announcement about the player leaving the club after 17 historic years came as a shock to many but also broke many hearts.
It seemed almost impossible to see the Argentine player ever play in any other colour than that of the Blaugrana, but it's a harsh reality we now have to live with. Messi's exit leaves a massive void at the club, who have now started preparing for a future without him.
But no matter how much money they spend trying to replace him, Messi is unlikely to ever be replaced. Here are five reasons why:
#5 Lionel Messi's records are extraordinary
Lionel Messi wasn't an instant hit at Barcelona. He broke into the side as a promising 17-year-old in 2004. But since he scored that famous goal off Ronaldinho's pass, the Argentine hasn't looked back.
He added 671 more strikes in the next 17 years - 440 more than the next best scorer in the club's history - and made 305 assists too, which is another record.
Messi hasn't merely stat-padded his way. His incredible feats have helped his side secure a staggering 35 trophies in this period, including ten league titles and four Champions Leagues.
He was also a key part of the side that won continental trebles in 2009 and 2015. Messi, along the way, won the Ballon d'Or on both occasions, another four, which is the most by any player.
#4 Lionel Messi's consistency is unimaginable
Ever since he took over the number 10 jersey from Ronaldinho in 2008, Lionel Messi has delivered consistently for Barcelona. In fact, he just kept getting better and better with each season.
He has been a prolific goalscorer, breaching the 50-goal mark in a league season (2011-12), and maintained those staggering standards for years.
Although he didn't score much in the last two seasons, Messi made up for that with astounding assist numbers and getting more involved in playmaking than ever before.
There was never really a period when Messi was thought to be on the decline or going through a rough patch at a personal level, regardless of his team's performances.
Such was his consistency. Good luck to the next number 10 trying to beat that.