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How Old Was Messi When He Joined Barcelona First Team
For fans of the game and collectors of football shirts, knowing the age at which a player first appears in a first team offers valuable context. Lionel Messi was born on 24 June 1987. According to reliable sources, he made his competitive first-team debut for FC Barcelona in October 2004, at the age of 17
Messi Football Jerseys and Kits
Messi’s Path to the Barcelona First Team
Youth arrival and development
Messi joined Barcelona’s youth academy as a teenager after relocating from Argentina. According to the club’s records and biographical accounts, he arrived at Barcelona’s La Masia system at age 13 and progressed through the youth ranks
First-team breakthrough
Messi made his competitive debut for Barcelona’s first team in the 2004-05 season. Wikipedia records show the debut took place in October 2004, which would place his age at 17. By that time, he had already been promoted through the Barcelona C and B teams and was seen as a rising talent ready for senior football.
Exact Age and Debut Details
Given his birth date of 24 June 1987 and the debut date of October 2004, Messi would have been 17 years and approximately 3–4 months old at the time of his first competitive appearance with Barcelona’s senior team. This young age marks a significant milestone in his career and adds value to jerseys from his early Barcelona years.
Why This Age Is Important For Collectors
When you browse shirts on our site, noting the age of a player at key career moments adds context to what the garment represents. In Messi’s case:
- A shirt from that debut season (2004-05) reflects the player at 17 a nascent stage of his global ascent.
- Collector value often increases when the garment ties to a breakthrough moment rather than a mature or peak phase.
- Knowing the age helps identify correct season details, squad numbers and badge versions for that era of Barcelona shirts.
Linking Age to the Jersey Era
For Messi’s first-team debut era:
- Check for the number 30 shirt he first wore in senior games. His early senior appearances at Barcelona list shirt number 30.
- Look for the 2004-05 kit design used by Barcelona; this aligns with a 17-year-old Messi’s first senior appearances.
- Recognise the significance of 17 as his debut age it situates the shirt historically at the beginning of his legendary run.
Conclusion
In summary, Lionel Messi joined Barcelona’s first team at age 17, making his debut in October 2004. That fact 17 years old anchors the earliest stage of his senior career and commercial jersey offerings tied to that time. For collectors browsing our catalogue, selecting a Barcelona shirt from the 2004-05 period means acquiring a piece linked to Messi’s earliest senior appearances. Use that age detail to match the correct design, number and production year of the shirt you seek.