Messi: Top 10 goals for Barcelona

Lionel Messi

has scored over 200 goals for Barcelona. Choosing a top 10 from these is near impossible given the amount of skill he has. Creating a top 20 goals from Messi’s collection and passing it off as the top 20 of the past 5 years wouldn’t be that far from the truth. Take a look at this top 10 and you’ll see that some goals can be more important (for Messi, for Barcelona) than others.

#10

Versus: Racing SantaderDate: 15 October 2011Exactly five years after the next goal on the list, this goal shows that Messi still deserves every plaudit given to him. An amazing dribble, he dodges the goalie as well, before netting into an empty net. This was the goal that took him past Ladislao Kubala’s tally (194 goals), becoming the second highest goal scorer for Barcelona. Chosen for: Showing us he’s not going anywhere anytime soon, leaving goalies on the floor on their behinds.

Versus: SevillaDate: 15 October 2006Getting past three defenders, evading a sliding block and beating the goalie? All in a day’s work for Messi. Chosen for: Dribbling skills, calmness and composure.

Versus: Dynamo KievDate: 9 December 2009UEFA Champions LeagueMessi unleashes a curler inch-perfect free kick that bounces into the goal after hitting the inside of the crossbar. The diving goalkeeper shows how truly unstoppable this one was. His best free-kick to date. Chosen for: A Messi free-kick, applying the finish in a come-from-behind 2-1 win.

Versus: ValenciaDate: 14 March 2010A Puskas award (FIFA’s Best Goal of the Year) nominee, this Messi goal has him restarting mid-dribble before beating the goalkeeper with a surprise finish. He scored another goal in the match that would be in his top 20. Chosen for: Finish at near post, change of pace mid-dribble.

Versus: Real MadridDate: 27 April 2011UEFA Champions LeagueAdmitted this goal came in a match shaded by Pepe’s red card. Admitted that Messi was being tracked by Pepe the whole game up until said incident. But, the more you look at this goal, the tougher it is to believe that there was any chance that Messi could have been stopped. From Pepe to Makelele, when Messi is in a mood like this, you would be smart to do what Diarra did – raise your hands, shrug and hope you at least didn’t foul the man. Chosen for: El Clásico – Champions League version, leaving Carvalho for dead, making Casillas look like a baby, the run from midfield.

Versus: Albacete Balompié Date: 1 May 2005The goal that started it all. Messi, then just a 17 year old wonderkid at Barcelona, announces his arrival on the world stage with a delicious chip to finish off a sumptuous Barcelona move. Messi starts the move, plays a 1-2 with Ronaldinho and then times a perfect run before nailing the finish. In retrospect, there could have been no better sign of what was in store for the world of football. Chosen for: First Messi goal, chip finish.

Versus: Zaragoza Date: 21 March 2010Messi steals the ball off a Zaragoza player in midfield, withstands the foul on him and then proceeds to charge towards the Zaragoza goal. A couple of sliding tackles may impede the normal man, but Messi jumps over one and just runs around the other. And like always, there’s no looking back. Chosen for: Tenacity while tackling, finish from the side of the box.

Versus: Arsenal Date: 8 March 2011UEFA Champions LeagueIf replays had not existed, this goal would not have made this list. When I first saw the net bulge, I cursed Almunia for failing to clear the ball effectively. The replay left me stunned. Three Messi touches, including one to chip the ball over Almunia and set up a finish for himself into an open goal and you can’t help but sympathize with the Spanish goalie. Claiming plaudits for yourself is one thing, embarrassing the living guts out of your opponent is another. Chosen for: Chip over goalie leading to a wonderful volley to finish with aplomb.

Versus: Manchester United Date: 27 May 2009UEFA Champions League FinalWhat a way to end that Barcelona season! A Messi header applying the finish to a Xavi cross to seal the UEFA Champions League in Barcelona’s favour. Talks of a Ronaldo versus Messi battle were ended in a conclusive fashion with Messi sparing Manchester United one of his mazy runs and preferring to take the aerial route instead. I guess nobody told him that he couldn’t score a header. Chosen for: Importance (CL Final), Shutting everyone up (A header from Messi)

Versus: Getafe Date: 18 April 2007

Once he’s on the run, Messi is unstoppable. He’s the only player who can change direction at such a pace.- Arsene Wenger

The goal that first comes to mind when you think of Lionel Messi. Here he is at his unrivaled best, giving meaning to what senile Mr. Wenger had to say about La Pulga. For the goal, a goal eerily similar to Maradona’s goal of the century, Messi starts his run on the Barcelona side of the halfway line. He proceeds to hare down the field beating the defenders and sidesteps the goalie before slotting the ball home past another defender. He careens away to the corner flag to celebrate – just like Maradona did, years earlier. Chosen for: Dribbling skill, being a one man team.

Edited by Staff Editor