Lionel Messi has decided to stay at Barcelona after initially telling the club he wanted to leave on Aug. 25. The Barcelona great said he couldn't take the decision to sue the club he loves to force an exit and who can blame him after nearly 20 years of great memories with the La Liga giants? Here's a look at some of the best moments of Messi's storied career at Barcelona in pictures.
Messi broke into the Barcelona senior team in 2004 when the likes of Ronaldinho was one of the club's top stars. LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty ImagesMessi, pictured here with fellow club legend Andres Iniesta, has won four UCL titles with Barcelona. LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty ImagesZlatan Ibrahimovic, centre, played one season with Messi at Barcelona, although the results during their time were mixed. Denis Doyle/Getty ImagesMessi celebrates after scoring a goal during Barcelona's 3-1 Champions League final win over Manchester United in 2011. Nick Potts/PA Images/Getty ImagesMessi's rivalry with Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo spanned nearly 10 years during their time in Spain. DANI POZO/AFP/Getty ImagesDuring happier times, Messi shakes hands with Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu after signing a new contract. Miguel Ruiz/FC Barcelona/Getty ImagesMessi made his name at Barcelona under Pep Guardiola and at one point the two looked destined for a reunion at Man City. Matthew Ashton/AMA/Getty ImagesMessi has been at the pinnacle of world football for more than 15 years and has scored over 700 goals for Barcelona and Argentina. Joan Valls/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesMessi has not only led Barcelona to numerous titles over the years, he has become the iconic face of the club for their fans. David Ramos/Getty ImagesSome of Messi's best seasons in recent years came as part of the vaunted 'MSN' trident along with Luis Suarez and Neymar. David Ramos/Getty ImagesMessi lived most of his teenage years and all of his adult life in Barcelona, marrying his wife there and raising two children. Quality Sport Images/Getty ImagesIn typical Messi fashion, Barca's No. 10 scored his 500th goal for the club to win the Clasico against Real Madrid in 2017. OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP/Getty ImagesMessi has taken home a record six Ballons d'Or in his career as the world's best footballer. FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty ImagesBarcelona's humiliating 8-2 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich this year almost ended up being Messi's last game for the club. MANU FERNANDEZ/AFP/Getty Images
Source: espn.co.uk