Lionel Messi made his Barcelona first-team debut on 16 October 2004, aged 17, coming off the bench in a 1-0 Catalan derby win over Espanyol. These are the 10 players who shared the pitch with him after his introduction.
Messi replaced Deco, while Andres Iniesta came on for Samuel Eto’o.
Victor Valdes
Valdes spent most of his career at Barcelona and was the club’s first-choice goalkeeper for 12 seasons. He won three Champions League titles and six Spanish league championships before leaving in 2014. He later played for Manchester United, Standard and Middlesbrough, retiring in 2017.
Carles Puyol
Puyol spent his entire professional career with Barcelona and became the club’s captain. The defender won 21 trophies with the Catalan side and lifted the World Cup and European Championship with Spain. He retired in 2014, aged 36.
Rafael Marquez
The Mexico international joined Barcelona from Monaco and became an important member of Frank Rijkaard’s side. After leaving Spain, he played for New York Red Bulls, Leon, Verona and Atlas, where he ended his career in 2015. Marquez was the first Mexican player to win the Champions League. The 47-year-old now manages his country’s national team.
Juliano Belletti
Belletti is best remembered by Barcelona supporters for scoring the winning goal in the 2006 Champions League final against Arsenal. He moved to Chelsea in 2007, later returned to Brazil and, following a short spell with Ceara, retired in 2011.
Oleguer
Oleguer spent five years at Barcelona, winning two Spanish league titles and the Champions League. He joined Ajax in 2008, played there for three seasons and then retired. He later entered politics and became involved in social activism.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Before joining Barcelona, the Netherlands international played for Rangers and Arsenal. He won two Spanish league titles and the Champions League with the Catalan club before returning to Feyenoord in 2007, where he finished his playing career. He later became a coach, managing several clubs including Feyenoord and Rangers.
Andres Iniesta and Xavi
Iniesta shared his first Barcelona minutes with Messi after replacing Eto’o. He spent most of his career at the club, winning four Champions League titles and nine Spanish championships. In 2018, he moved to Japan to play for Vissel Kobe and later appeared in the United Arab Emirates. Spanish media reported in 2026 that the 42-year-old had begun studying for the Pro coaching licence.
Xavi became one of Barcelona and Spain’s defining figures, winning four Champions League titles and eight Spanish league championships with the club. He also won the World Cup and two European Championships with Spain. After leaving Barcelona, he played for Al-Sadd in Qatar before moving into management. He currently manages the Netherlands.
Henrik Larsson and Ronaldinho
Larsson was already established through his Celtic career when he joined Barcelona in 2004. He spent two seasons in Catalonia and played a key role in the 2006 Champions League final victory. He later returned to Helsingborg, had a brief loan spell at Manchester United and retired in 2009.
Ronaldinho was Barcelona’s leading star when Messi made his debut. He helped the club win two Spanish league titles and the Champions League, and received the Ballon d’Or in 2005. After leaving, he played for Milan and clubs in Brazil and Mexico. With Brazil, he won the 2002 World Cup.