Ranking the 5 best attacking trios Lionel Messi has been part of
Lionel Messi is arguably one of the best players to have graced the beautiful game, scoring goals and winning titles galore for club and country.
During a near two-decade-long career, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner tallied close to 1100 goal contributions for Barcelona (672 goals and 305 assists), winning ten La Liga titles and two continental trebles.
One of two players to have scored over a hundred goals in the Champions League, Lionel Messi has been a part of several attacking trios over the years, most of them with his old club Barcelona, whom he left this summer to join PSG. Now with the French giants, Messi is set to join an exciting attacking triumvirate comprising himself, his good friend Neymar and French starlet Kylian Mbappe.
On that note, let's take a look at the five best attacking trios Lionel Messi has been a part of over the years:
#5 Lionel Messi - Luis Suarez - Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona)
Two years following Neymar's exit, Barcelona thought they had found the Brazilian's replacement when they landed the prolific Antoine Griezmann in the summer of 2019 to pair alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
On paper, the partnership did look formidable. But the Frenchman was not a like-for-like replacement for Neymar, and largely struggled in an unfamiliar position out wide, scoring just 15 goals. With Luis Suarez also enduring a difficult campaign, managing only 21 strikes, the onus of scoring fell on Messi.
The Argentine, unfortunately, had an underwhelming campaign as well, scoring 'only' 31 times across competitions. That meant Barcelona endured a first trophyless campaign in more than a decade, culminating with a humbling 8-2 defeat against eventual champions Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The partnership of Messi, Suarez and Griezmann had no chance of redeeming itself, as the Uruguayan was let go in the summer.
Incidentally, Griezmann and Messi produced better campaigns the following season, scoring 20 and 38 goals, respectively. Although the La Liga title eluded the Blaugrana once again, they ended their near two-year title drought by triumphing in the Copa Del Rey.
#4 Lionel Messi - David Villa - Pedro (Barcelona)
Lionel Messi, David Villa and Pedro formed a formidable attacking trio for Barcelona in the early 2010s.
In three seasons (2010-11 to 2012-13) the trio played together, they combined for a staggering tally of nearly 280 goals and 144 assists as Barcelona won two La Liga titles and one Champions League title, among other pieces of silverware.
Messi was at the peak of his powers during this period, plundering 186 goals in all competitions, including an incredible 73-goal campaign in 2011-12; he also registered an impressive 76 assists and won three consecutive Ballon d'Or awards.
Villa, although not as prolific as Messi, provided decent support to the Argentine, chipping in with 48 goals and 23 assists. Pedro, who largely came off the bench, provided 45 goals and 29 assists.
The partnership drew to a close at the end of the 2012-13 season when Villa left for Atletico Madrid. Two years later, Pedro moved to Chelsea.