Ranking 5 greatest forwards who partnered Lionel Messi at club level

After 21 years of immeasurable success, Lionel Messi was unceremoniously ousted from Barcelona due to the club's financial predicament. The Argentinian wizard departed his footballing home in tears, having scored a mind-boggling 672 goals for the club. In addition to so many accomplishments, Lionel Messi also had the best players around him during his stay in Spain.

Some notable teammates of Lionel Messi

Having played at the summit of professional football for 16 years, Lionel Messi played alongside a number of legendary players during his stay in Catalonia. Making his debut in 2005, Messi was an integral cog in multiple Barcelona squads. As a result, he got the opportunity to play alongside the likes of Carles Puyol, Lilian Thuram and Yaya Toure.

However, his most prominent teammates have to be the two distinguished Spanish midfielders. The fabled trio of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta have gained mythical status at Barcelona, with the three players at the center of the club's most successful period. Thierry Henry, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are some of the other all-time greats to have shared the locker room with Messi.

Safe to say, Lionel Messi has played with an insane number of world-class players throughout his illustrious career. Having been the focal point of numerous attacking lines, he has been assisted by established offensive players throughout his footballing journey. On that note, let's take a look at five of the best forwards that have partnered Lionel Messi at club level:

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#5 David Villa (Barcelona)

Villa formed an exciting partnership with Leo Messi

The all-time top scorer for Spain, David Villa, played at the topmost footballing level for a long while. The Spanish striker was especially lethal during his time at Valencia, which earned him a big-money move to Barcelona in 2010. Primarily a center forward, Villa was often used on the wings in Pep Guardiola's intricate system.

His arrival at the Camp Nou was met with widespread approval from the fans as Villa's exceptional goalscoring abilities perfectly complimented Lionel Messi's attacking skills. The duo played 102 games together in just three years, propelling Barcelona to two Spanish league titles and one Champions League, among other wins.

Following certain injury struggles, Villa was offloaded to La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid in 2013, bringing an abrupt end to his partnership with Lionel Messi. However, there is no denying the fact that the duo clicked together at Barcelona.

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#4 Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona)

Eto'o and Messi playing against Real Madrid

Samuel Eto'o is a bona fide legend of the game, having played for some of the biggest teams on the planet. The winner of two consecutive European trebles with Barcelona and Inter, the Cameroonian striker, was bought by the Blaugrana in 2004 for €27 million.

At the time of his signing, Eto'o was one of the most clinical forwards in the world. His reputation gained serious momentum after coming to Catalonia due to a string of scintillating performances. In a recent statement, Eto'o said that Lionel Messi got to play with him at Barcelona and not the other way around, hinting at his super-stardom in the late 2000s.

Prior to his surprise move to Italy in 2009, Eto'o was involved in 105 games with Lionel Messi. In the span of four years, following the Argentine's debut in 2005, the duo wreaked havoc for Barcelona. Eto'o retired in 2019, having played for 13 different clubs in his professional career.

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#3 Neymar (Barcelona and PSG)

Neymar left Barcelona to escape Lionel Messi's shadow

Neymar has had the luxury of playing alongside Lionel Messi at two different clubs, following the latter's shock move to PSG earlier this summer. The two best-mates were reunited after a period of four years, with the Brazilian being one of the principal factors behind Lionel Messi's switch to France.

Fending off serious interest from Real Madrid, Barcelona triumphantly secured Neymar's signature in 2013 for a reported fee of €88.2 million. At the time of his signing, the flamboyant playmaker was a highly sought-after prodigy with overwhelming potential.

In his four years with the Catalan giants, Neymar made 186 appearances, with 161 of them coming alongside Lionel Messi. Having played 12,716 minutes together, the two forwards were part of arguably the deadliest attacking trio alongside Luis Suarez. With La Pulga now aged 34, it will be interesting to see how the two combine for the second time at PSG.

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#2 Ronaldinho (Barcelona)

Ronaldinho defined his career at Barcelona

In a rare case where the apprentice has thoroughly surpassed his master, Lionel Messi was once Ronaldinho's protege in his initial years. The Brazilian maestro was pivotal in establishing Barcelona's dominance in the late 2000s, all the while nurturing the raw talent of Messi.

Initially a consolation signing following Barcelona's failure to acquire David Beckham in 2003, Ronaldinho's unprecedented stature quickly made him a fan favorite. His most iconic moment in a Blaugrana shirt has to be his dazzling performance against Real Madrid in 2005, which compelled the crowd at the Bernabeu to give him a standing ovation.

Having made his debut for Barcelona in 2005, Lionel Messi got to spend three years learning from the Brazilian maestro. During the said period, the duo played for a total of 80 games. It is the impact that Ronaldinho had on a young Messi that lands him so high on this list. The Brazilian legend was instrumental in turning Lionel Messi into the player that we know and love today.

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#1 Luis Suarez (Barcelona)

Messi and Suarez have achieved a lot together

Undoubtedly his most prolific attacking partner, Luis Suarez, enjoyed a stellar spell with Lionel Messi during their time together at Barcelona. Signed from Liverpool for a gargantuan fee of €81.7 million, Suarez was an absolute sensation at Camp Nou, forming a legendary partnership with the Argentine.

In just six seasons with the club, Suarez managed to become the third-highest goalscorer in Barcelona's history with a colossal tally of 195 strikes. Much more than your average number 9, the Uruguayan stalwart played a monumental role in the Blaugrana's fabled treble-winning 2014-15 season.

Following an 8-2 humbling at the hands of Bayern Munich, the 34-year-old veteran was expelled from the club in an undignified manner. With 258 games and plenty of success together, Suarez is easily the best strike partner Lionel Messi has ever had at club level.

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