List of top 5 greatest Lionel Messi goals

In football history, there are a few players who have weaved magic on the field. These players have scored goals or have provided assists which are not just a number on the table but moments that have left defenders shocked while taking away the breath of fans. One of the top examples in the list of players is Lionel Messi. A superstar from Argentina who just changed the landscape of football. 

In this article, we will be talking about the top 5 greatest Lionel Messi’s goals. However, choosing the top goals looks like an exercise of picking stars from the night sky. Some goals are just different from others, not only because of the technical brilliance but also the significance, intelligence and emotions that flowed with it. When Messi plays, it is not just precise footwork wrapping the ball around but the art in motion.

List of top 5 greatest Lionel Messi goals

1. A solo goal against Athletic Bilbao in 2015

A decade ago, the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao was not just a game in Lionel Messi’s career but a canvas on which he painted the art of a solo goal. Starting the dribbling near the halfway line, Messi did not rest until he found the back of the net. He received the ball on the right touchline, but the hordes of red and white shirts surrounded him. 

While fans expected this to be a futile attempt, it was beyond sorcery. He accelerated past the first players, gilded between two more before cutting inside. He turned one more defender inside the box to score the goal. It was not just a goal but Lionel Messi’s imprint in the history of football, where he created a moment encapsulated in 12 seconds.

2. Ghost of Maradona against Getafe in 2007 

Lionel Messi recreated a Diego Maradona goal against Getafe in 2007 and the uncanny resemblance meant that the history repeating through a young prophet. The parallels were uncanny including the starting position. As a teenager, he made fans across all ages remember the goal which Diego Maradona scored in the 1986 World Cup against England. 

Lionel Messi danced past five defenders with precise movement and great control over the ball while running at a pace which defenders could not catch up. He rounded up the goalkeeper and when the No.9 thought he would pass it, Messi scored the goal from a tight angle, sending Camp Nou to a roar. This was Lionel Messi’s way to announce his presence to international football. 

3. A lifeline to World Cup aspirations against Mexico in 2022 

After losing the game against Saudi Arabia, Argentina were under a serious pressure to win the game against Mexico to keep their hopes alive. The match was deadlock at 0-0 and the tensions continued to rise high. However, Lionel Messi became cometh the hour, cometh the man. 

Lionel Messi received the ball 25 yards from the goal and the time started to cease once he touched the ball. He unleashed a goal from 25 yards while he laced the ball with his left foot, putting it beyond the goalkeeper’s reach. When it found the back of the net, fans were overjoyed while Messi seemed relieved. The goal sparked Argentina's resurgence in the tournament, setting them on path to ultimate glory.

4. Packing Jerome Boateng’s bags in the Champions League in 2015

Jerome Boateng enjoyed huge success across the tournaments and leagues until he faced Lionel Messi in his prime. This was the game where Bayern Munich came up against Barcelona in the semifinals of the tournament. The game was nothing but a meme package after Messi pocketed the defender. 

Receiving the ball on the edge of the box, Messi locked his horns against one of the best central defenders. However, Jerome Boateng did not know what was coming for him. Messi subtly shifted his body and a quick change of direction sent Boateng tumbling. It felt like a chess piece that fell down. He chipped the ball over the generational goalie of Germany, Manuel Neuer, to take home the goal. It also ensured that Barcelona was going through to the finals of the tournament. 

5. A Catalonian mayhem against Liverpool in 2019 

A year where it felt like Lionel Messi was going to win it all alone. The Argentine international had his team covered despite the team's poor transfer business. His ability to score from freekick has always been a speciality and against Liverpool, he showed to the world why he is regarded so highly. 

Against the Merseysiders, Lionel Messi scored a shot from 35 yards out, where most of the players would not dream of. His shot was precise and the curl over the wall and finding the top corner while keeping Alisson rooted made it special for the fans. The speed, trajectory and placement was picture-perfect. The Camp Nou was sent to delirium with this goal.