Lionel Messi: The 10 Greatest Moments of the Youngster's Career

Still just 24, Barcelona's Lionel Messi has already compiled a career's worth of highlights.

Today we're listing his 10 greatest moments so far.

But first a disclaimer: These aren't in any order. Ranking Messi's greatest moments would be something like ranking The Beatles' No. 1 singles. Everyone has an opinion, and no choice is really wrong.

So, let's get right to it. Feel free to add your own in the comments.

200th Barcelona Goal

Messi scored his 200th Barcelona goal on Nov. 1, 2011, in a Champions League win over Viktoria Plzen. He finished the match with a hat trick, his second in as many games.

Stunningly, No. 200 came just six-and-a-half years after No. 1, which he scored as a 17-year-old on May 1, 2005.

Currently at 216, Messi is closing fast on Cesar Rodriguez's club record of 235, set between 1939 and 1955.

World Youth Champion

An 18-year-old Messi inspired Argentina in their run to the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands. Messi finished as the competition's top scorer with six goals, including two in the final against Nigeria.

For his excellent play, Messi also won the Golden Shoe as the tournament's top player.

Clasico Hat Trick

In 2007, at the age of 19, Messi scored a hat trick against Real Madrid in El Clasico, helping Barcelona secure a 3-3 home draw.

Real had beaten Barca 2-0 at the Bernabeu in that season's previous encounter. The visitors took three leads only to see Messi level all three times.

Adding to the difficulty rating was the fact that Barcelona played with 10 men for about half of the match. Oleguer had been sent off just before halftime.

Scoring in 2009 Champions League Final Victory

By 2009, Messi was winning major championships at the senior level.

In May of that year, he scored the second goal in Barcelona's 2-0 win over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final. The victory clinched a historic treble of trophies for Barca, who also won Spain's Copa del Rey and La Liga. The treble was a first for a Spanish club.

After the season Messi picked up multiple individual honors, winning UEFA's Club Footballer of the Year and Club Forward of the Year awards.

Goal Against Getafe

In 2007, the 19-year-old Messi helped Barcelona reach the Copa del Rey final with a famous goal against Getafe in the semifinals.

The goal instantly drew comparisons with Maradona's strike against England in the 1986 World Cup and helped build Messi's reputation as one of the game's best.

Four Goals Against Arsenal

Messi scored four times as Barcelona defeated Arsenal 4-1 in the 2010 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Afterwards, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger delivered high praise to the young Argentine superstar:

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"I believe we lost against a team that is better than us and that has the best player in the world," said Wenger. "Once he's on the run, Messi is unstoppable. He's the only player who can change direction at such a pace."

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Barcelona lost to eventual winners Inter Milan in the semifinals.

Gold Medal Winner

Messi assisted on the winning goal in the final of the 2008 Olympic tournament in Beijing. And that was after he nearly didn't play at all.

Spanish Supercup Winner

Messi scored in the 2-2 draw with Real Madrid in the first leg of the 2011 Spanish Supercup. Then, in the return leg at the Bernabeu, he scored twice more, including the winner late in the second half as Barcelona claimed a 3-2 match victory and 5-4 aggregate win.

First Ballon d'Or

Messi won his first Ballon d'Or in 2009 as European Footballer of the Year, beating second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo by the largest margin ever.

He later added the FIFA World Player of the Year award as well.

Third Ballon d'Or

The FIFA World Player of the Year merged with the Ballon d'Or in 2010, and Messi won again. But we're picking his 2011 win—his third straight—for a couple of reasons.

Messi is only the fourth player to win three Ballon d'Or awards. The others are Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Michael Van Basten.

Platini is the only other player to win three in a row.

With his third Ballon d'Or, Messi truly entered the realm of the all-time great players.