Ranking Lionel Messi’s 10 best seasons at Barcelona
Lionel Messi is arguably one of the finest players to have graced the game, scoring a plethora of goals and winning trophies galore for club and country.
One of the last vestiges of a true one-club man, Messi is leaving Barcelona after a highly successful, nearly two-decade long stint with the club. After his contract ran out this summer, the two parties failed to arrive at common ground regarding a contract extension.
A prolific goalscorer for club and country, Messi is Barcelona and Argentina's all-time top scorer and is one of only two players to score over 100 goals in the Champions League. The six-time Ballon d'Or winner, who also won two continental trebles, has had several memorable seasons with the Blaugrana.
As Messi embarks on a new chapter in his illustrious career, here's a look at the Argentinian's ten best seasons at Barcelona:
#10 2008-09 season - 38 goals
A year before Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Spain, Lionel Messi produced the first truly breakout season of his illustrious career.
With Pep Guardiola taking charge after Barcelona endured a trophyless 2007-08 campaign, Messi became the crown jewel of the team. The then 21-year-old took over from the departing Ronaldinho, comfortably doubled his previous season's La Liga goal tally as Barcelona won their first league title in three years.
Messi also sizzled in other competitions, scoring six times in the Copa Del Rey and netted nine goals in the Champions League as the Blaugrana became the first Spanish club to win the continental treble. In the final against Manchester United, he scored a rare header, later calling it the best goal of his career.
Playing 50 games in a season for the first time, Messi would end the campaign with a rich haul of 38 goals and 19 assists across competitions.
#9 2015-16 season - 41 goals
Lionel Messi had a rather modest campaign in 2015-16, going by his staggering standards. The Argentine was not at his fluent scoring best after an injury forced him out of action for almost a month.
Nevertheless, Messi conjured up 26 league goals, notching up hat-tricks against Granada and Rayo Vallecano, as well as 16 assists. That helped Barcelona successfully defend their La Liga title after enduring a late-season blip.
In the Champions League, Messi scored thrice in the Round of 16, but couldn't avert the holders crashing out in the quarter-finals against Atletico Madrid. However, the Argentine was in his element in the Copa Del Rey, providing both assists in Barcelona's win over Sevilla in the final.
It was Messi's fourth title of the season and fourth Copa Del Rey triumph of his illustrious career.
#8 2017-18 season - 45 goals
Lionel Messi enjoyed another spectacular season, especially in La Liga, during the 2017-18 campaign. He scored 34 goals and assisted 14 as Barcelona won their third league title in four years.
The Argentine notched up league hat-tricks against Espanyol, Eibar, Leganes and Deportivo La Coruna as the Blaugrana dethroned holders Real Madrid. Messi, though, had a modest campaign in the Champions League, scoring only six goals as Barcelona were eliminated in the last eight by AS Roma.
Despite the Champions League disappointment, Messi scored and assisted twice as Barcelona beat Sevilla to win another Copa Del Rey title.
#7 2009-10 season - 47 goals
Following on from his exploits the previous season, Lionel Messi took things up a notch in the 2009-10 campaign.
The Argentine scored 34 league goals, including hat-tricks against Tenerife, Valencia and Real Zaragoza, as Guardiola's men successfully defended their league title. Messi also chipped in with 11 assists during the La Liga campaign.
In the Champions League, Messi scored a dazzling quadruple against Arsenal in the quarter-finals. But Barcelona's title defense ended in the semifinals as Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan put on a defensive masterclass.
Nevertheless, Messi produced the then most prolific goalscoring campaign of his Barcelona career, notching up almost 50 goals (47) as well as 12 assists across competitions. In the process, he laid down a marker for Ronaldo, who scored 'only' 33 times in his debut campaign at Real Madrid.