'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
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.
Trending
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.
#6 2018-19 season - 51 goals
Lionel Messi continued to churn out goals and assists in 2018-19 even after his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo left Spanish shores to join Juventus.
Messi scored 34 league goals, including hat-tricks against Levante, Sevilla and Real Betis, as Barcelona successfully defended their league title. In the Copa Del Rey, though, despite Messi scoring, the Blaugrana fell to a surprise defeat to Valencia in the final.
The Argentine kicked off his Champions League campaign with a hat-trick against PSV Eindhoven, his record eighth in the competition. Messi went on to notch up a further nine goals in the tournament.
Messi also scored twice in the first leg of the UCL semi-final against Liverpool as Barcelona looked on course for another treble. But the Catalans squandered their three-goal lead in the second leg at Anfield to crash out, with Messi drawing a blank.
Eventually, Barcelona only managed the La Liga title despite Messi producing a 50-goal campaign for the sixth time in his stint with the Blaugrana.
#5 2010-11 season - 53 goals
As if to prove that his 47-goal season in 2009-10 was no fluke, Lionel Messi raised the bar further in the next campaign. He became the first Barcelona player to score 50 goals in a season.
Messi scored 33 league goals, including hat-tricks against Almeria and Atletico Madrid, as Guardiola's men accomplished a three-peat of league titles with another strong domestic campaign.
He also scored seven goals in the Copa Del Rey, but drew a rare blank in the final as Real Madrid denied their arch-rivals a second continental treble in three seasons. Nevertheless, there was no stopping Lionel Messi and Barcelona in the Champions League.
Messi scored 12 times in 13 games in the Champions League. He also netted twice against Madrid in the semis and one against Manchester United in the final as Barcelona won the competition for the second time in three years.
#4 2016-17 season - 54 goals
Lionel Messi scored no La Liga hat-tricks during the season, but still managed an impressive 37 strikes in 34 games to win another Pichichi award. Despite his stellar exploits, however, Barcelona were beaten to the league title by Real Madrid, who won their first La Liga title in five years.
Messi made a dazzling start to his Champions League campaign by notching up hat-tricks against Celtic and Manchester City. He ended up with an incredible ten league-stage goals. However, with the Argentine scoring just once in four games in the knockout stage, Barcelona were eliminated by Juventus in the quarter-finals.
It was a triumphant campaign for Messi in the Copa Del Rey, though. He registered five goals, including one against surprise finalists Alaves in the final.
#3 2014-15 season - 58 goals
After a rather modest 2013-14 campaign, Lionel Messi notched up his third 40-goal La Liga campaign in four seasons.
The Argentinian started off his La Liga campaign with a brace against Elche before he netted five hat-tricks to rack up an impressive tally of 43 league strikes. Although that was not enough for him to win the Pichichi award, Messi had the last laugh, as Barcelona saw off Real Madrid in a titanic title race. It secured the club's fourth league title in six seasons.
In the Champions League, Messi lit up the group stage, scoring eight goals, including a hat-trick against APOEL Nicosia.
Although he scored just once in the knockout stage, Barcelona beat Juventus in the final to win their second continental treble in their history. Messi provided an assist in the 3-1 win.
Earlier, Messi also scored five times in the Copa Del Rey, including a brace against Athletic Bilbao in the final, to keep Barcelona's hopes of a second continental treble alive.
#2 2012-13 season - 60 goals
Close on the heels of a historic 2011-12 season, Lionel Messi followed up with another prolific campaign in 2012-13.
Despite missing six games due to injury, Messi still racked up a staggering tally of 46 league goals, including hat-tricks against Deportivo La Coruna and Osasuna. Thanks to Messi's incredible exploits, Barcelona dethroned holders Real Madrid to win their fourth league title in five years.
In the Champions League, though, Messi endured a rather modest campaign, netting 'only' eight times. Barcelona suffered a 4-0 defeat away against a Bayern Munich side coached by their former tactician Pep Guardiola. Messi then didn't come off the bench in the second leg as the Blaugrana suffered a humiliating 0-7 aggregate reverse.
#1 2011-12 season - 73 goals
Lionel Messi produced the greatest-ever season by any player in club football in 2011-12 when he netted a staggering 73 times in only 60 games across competitions.
During the campaign, Lionel Messi scored an unbelievable 50 La Liga goals to become the first player in Europe's top five leagues to breach the 50-goal mark in a league season. Along with his goals, Messi also registered 20 league assists. Yet his exploits weren't enough, as Barcelona (91 points) fell short by nine points against Real Madrid.
Messi was in prolific form in the Champions League as well, netting 14 times. He scored two hat-tricks, including a record five-goal outing against Bayer Leverkusen. However, like in La Liga, Barcelona didn't go all the way in this competition either, as they fell to eventual champions Chelsea in the semis.
Messi had far more modest returns in the Copa Del Rey, though, netting thrice in seven games, including one in the final against Athletic Bilbao.
