Lionel Andrés Messi

His Career at Barcelona:

• 2003-2005: Rise to the first team.

During the 2003 04 season, his fourth with Barcelona, Messi rapidly progressed through the club's ranks, debuting for a record five teams in a single campaign.

• 2005-2008: Becoming a starting eleven player.

On 24 June, his 18th birthday, Messi signed his first contract as a senior team player. It made him a Barcelona player until 2010, two years less than his previous contract, but his buyout clause increased to €150 million.

• 2008-2009: First Treble.

After two unsuccessful seasons, Barcelona were in need of an overhaul, leading to the departure of Rijkaard and Ronaldinho. Uponthe latter's departure, Messi was given the number 10 shirt. Hesigned a new contract in July with an annual salary of €7.8 million,becoming the club's highest-paid player.

• 2009: First Ballon d'Or.

Barcelona won the FIFA Club World Cup against Estudiantes de La Plata on 19 December, with Messi scoring the winning 2-1 goal with his chest. At 22 years old, Messi won the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award, both times by the greatest voting margin in each trophy's history.

• 2010-2011: Fifth La Liga title and third Champions League.

Messi secured Barcelona's first trophy of the 2010-11 campaign, the Supercopa de España, by scoring a hat-trick in his side's second-leg 4-0 victory over Sevilla, after a first-leg defeat.

• 2010: 2nd Ballon d'Or.

Messi won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for second time in his career.

• 2011: 3rd Ballon d'Or.

Messi won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for third time in his career.

• 2012: A record-breaking year.

He received the Guinness World Records title for most goals scored in a calendar year. As the odds-on favourite, Messi again won the FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming the only player in history to win the Ballon d'Or four times.20 March, Messi became the top goalscorer in Barcelona's history at 24 years old, overtaking the 57-year record of César Rodríguez's 232 goals with a hat-trick against Granada.

• 2012: 4th Ballon d'Or.

Messi won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for fourth time in his career.

• 2013-2014: Messidependence.

Barcelona lost 7-0 on aggregate to Bayern Munchen. These matches gave credence to the notion of Messidependencia, Barcelona's perceived tactical and psychological dependence on their star player.

• 2015: A historic treble.

Messi capped off the year by opening the scoring in the 36th minute of the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup Final on 20 December, collecting his fifth club trophy of 2015 as Barcelona went on to defeat River Plate 3-0 in Yokohama, and winning the tournament's Silver Ball, despite missing the semi-final.

• 2016: 5th Ballon d'Or.

Messi won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for fifth time in his career.

• 2019: 6th Ballon d'Or.

Messi won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for sixth time in his career.

• 2021: 7th Ballon d'Or.

Messi won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for seventh time in his career.

• 2021: Argentina - 2021 Copa América - Winners

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has told ESPN he has "peace of mind" after winning the Copa America, his first major triumph with the national team after past disappointments.