Lionel Messi Then & Now: Photos of the Argentinian Soccer Player Over the Years
Lionel Messi helped lead Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022 and cemented his legacy as one of soccer’s greatest players. Look back at his life in photos.
Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. The Argentine superstar has spent more than two decades dominating the sport, winning countless trophies, breaking records and redefining what it means to be one of the game’s all-time greats.
Messi enjoyed one of the most successful club careers in history with FC Barcelona, where he won 10 La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League trophies and became the club’s all-time leading scorer. He later spent two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain before joining MLS side Inter Miami CF in 2023, helping the club win the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and its first-ever MLS Cup championship in 2025. He also earned back-to-back MLS MVP honors in 2024 and 2025.
On the international stage, Messi led Argentina to the 2021 Copa América title, ending the nation’s 28-year major trophy drought, before captaining La Albiceleste to victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and another Copa América championship in 2024. In 2026, he returned to the World Cup as Argentina’s defending champion captain, became the first player to captain a nation in three men’s World Cup finals and finished the tournament with 21 career World Cup goals. Argentina ultimately fell to Spain in the final, but Messi’s legacy as one of soccer’s greatest players remained firmly intact.
Born and raised in Argentina, Messi relocated to Spain at age 13 to join Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy. He made his first-team debut in 2004 at just 17 years old and quickly emerged as one of the sport’s brightest stars.
Scroll through the gallery to see photos of Messi below.
