As he was breaking through the ranks at Barcelona, it was clear to everyone watching that Lionel Messi was something special. He was just 16 when he made his debut for the Catalan club.
His nimble feet and the bag of tricks that came with it had already triggered comparisons with Argentine great Diego Maradona, but Messi was yet to conjure up a wow-moment that were in good supply during Maradona’s career.
Messi, though, rubberstamped himself as Maradona’s heir when he scored a breathtaking solo goal against Getafe in the Copa Del Rey exactly 13 years ago.
Messi picked up the ball just after the half-way line and danced past the Getafe team as if they weren’t there. The goalkeeper alert to the danger came off his line to close the angle for the finish for Messi, but the Argentine was too good for him as he went past him and found the net from a narrow angle.
The goal was similar to the one Maradona had scored against England in the 1986 World Cup and it further helped Messi’s stock rise.
To this day, the goal is considered by many to be the best in Barcelona’s history and Messi’s finest too.
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