In a crowded field boasting strikes from all-time greats of the game such as Johan Cruyff, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, current Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has been voted the scorer of the club’s best ever goal.
The Catalan club held a series of online votes over the course of the past three months, pitting classic goals from down the years against each other until they had whittled down the cream of the crop to the greatest goal in the club's 120-year history.
Among the 64 stunners to make up the vote were classic strikes from the likes of Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Johan Cruyff and Ronaldinho – but in the end the toughest competition Argentine magician Messi faced was from himself.
And, let’s face it, there were plenty of Messi pearlers to choose from, with the number 10 having bagged a record 591 goals in 674 appearances for the Blaugrana, and counting.
Also on rt.com 'Messi! Messi!': Rival fans chant Barca great's name after latest physics-defying display (VIDEOS)Three of Messi’s iconic Barcelona goals made it to the final four, with the sole other contender coming from Sergi Roberto, when he capped the Catalans’ stunning 6-1 comeback win against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in 2017.
Messi’s trio were all solo efforts, coming against Athletic Bilbao, Getafe and Real Madrid.
And the fans’ pick of the bunch was the Getafe goal from the 2006/07 season, when the pair were meeting in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
Messi – just 19 at the time – left fans in awe with a goal reminiscent of his compatriot Diego Maradona’s famous World Cup strike against England from 1986.
Collecting the ballfrom Xavi Hernández in his own half, Messi swerved past one Getafe player before nutmegging another and accelerating towards the box.
Once there, he jinked past several more Getafe defenders before calming slotting home for a goal that was feted around the world.
While the strike is far from the most significant of Messi’s trophy-laden career at Barca, we certainly don’t need a second excuse to watch it again in all its glory...
Barca said the overall number of votes cast by fans topped half a million, and the man himself thanked supporters for the latest trinket for his collection.
Messi will, of course, be aiming for bigger things this season as Barca chase the treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
They are well-placed in the league, sitting 10 points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid, while they meet Valencia in the final of the Copa del Rey.
The Catalans meet English giants Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals in April.
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