"Greatest official debut of all time" - Barcelona make social media post in honor of Lionel Messi to commemorate his debut for club in 2004
Barcelona posted a special tweet to acknowledge the 19th anniversary of Lionel Messi's debut for the club. They simply posted a photo from the match and a video of him coming on for Deco and also took the opportunity to call the Argentine the GOAT.
The caption read:
"Greatest official debut of all time [Goat emoji]."
Messi came on for just eight minutes against RCD Espanyol in Montjuic after replacing the Portuguese midfielder.
Barcelona won the match 1-0 thanks to the former Chelsea man scoring the lone goal in the ninth minute. However, the match will always be remembered as the day that Barcelona's most famous son stepped onto the pitch for the first time.
Little did the fans know that the floppy-haired and relatively unknown teenager at the time was going to become the best player in the Catalan club's history.
The teenager came on wearing the #30 jersey and played as a right-winger in the final minutes. Lionel Messi was just 17 years, 3 months and 22 days old when Frank Rijkaard handed him the debut.
Lionel Messi left Barcelona after the club failed to renew his contract
Lionel Messi was forced to leave Barcelona in 2021 after the Catalan club was unable to renew his contract due to La Liga wage rules. The Argentine had to move to PSG despite agreeing a massive wage-cut at Camp Nou.
At his farewell, the Argentine said:
"It's time to say goodbye...it has been a long time, a whole life. I arrived here at 13 years of age and I cannot be more proud of what I have done and experienced in this city where I will surely return one day, that I have promised to my kids also. I want to thank all may team mates and former team mates. I have always tried to behave with humility and respect and I hope that is what stays here with people, as well as everything I had to fortune to give to the club."
Messi added:
"I would also like to thank the people's affection towards me, I would have liked to say goodbye in a different way. To be able to do it out there on the field, hear my last ovation, have them close, hear the cheering...I leave the club without having seen them for a year and a half. I have felt the recognition and the love that I also feel for the club. Let's hope I can return at some point and help as best I can because this club is still the best in the world."
Lionel Messi played 778 matches for Barcelona and scored 672 goals for the Catalan side. He won the UEFA Champions League four times at the club, 10 LaLiga titles, and the FIFA Club World Cup thrice during his stay at Camp Nou.