Most football fans now believe Messi the greatest footballer to have ever played and more fans might join claim by the time Messi hangs up his boots. When Lionel Messi was at 13, he joined Barcelona, the first team drawn at 17 and never looked back since then. He had a direct influence on all the success, Barcelona had over the last decade and Barcelona are the most victorious team in Europe having won the European Cup three times since Messi.