This May 1st marks 20 years since Lionel Messi scored his first official goal wearing the FC Barcelona jersey—a moment that marked the beginning of a golden era for both the club and the Argentine star, who would go on to become the most iconic figure in the Catalan club’s history.

It was the 2004-2005 season, and a young Messi, just 17 years and 10 months old, stepped onto the pitch in the 88th minute of the match against Albacete, during Matchday 34 of LaLiga. At the time, the team was led by Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard, and Barça was narrowly ahead on the scoreboard.

A Moment That Changed Club History

Just three minutes after entering the Camp Nou pitch, Messi stole the hearts of the fans. First, with a goal disallowed for offside, and moments later, with a play that would go down in history: a lofted pass from Ronaldinho, a delicate first-touch chip over the goalkeeper, and a celebration that became iconic. The Brazilian lifted Messi onto his back, foreshadowing the passing of the torch— from Ronnie’s number '10' shirt to the one Messi would wear for over a decade.

That goal was just the first of 672 goals the Argentine would score for the first team, becoming the club’s all-time top scorer. His impact was immediate, and over time, he became the very symbol of Barcelona, leading the team through its most successful era.

Across 16 seasons, Leo Messi won every possible title with the Catalan giants: 4 Champions Leagues, 3 Club World Cups, 10 LaLiga titles, 7 Copa del Rey titles, 3 UEFA Super Cups, and 8 Spanish Super Cups, totaling 35 trophies. He also holds unmatched records such as most appearances (778), most wins (542), and most goals (672) in the club’s history.

Twenty years after that first goal, Messi’s legacy remains as strong as ever. His influence on Barcelona transcends generations, and his name continues to be written in golden letters in the history of world football.