On November 16, 2003, a little-known Argentine by the name of Lionel Messi made his Barcelona debut with a 15-minute cameo in a mid-season friendly with Porto.
Barcelona took on Porto in the inauguration of the Estadio do Dragao, which had been built ahead of the following summer’s European Championship.
Porto ran out 2-0 victors, with Messi squandering a couple of half-chances to score. What became of him? We’ll never know. But we’ve taken a look back at the Barcelona XI that started ahead of him.
Albert Jorquera
Perennial reserve goalkeeper Jorquera spent 15 years at Barcelona as he rose through the ranks of La Masia but made just 24 appearances in all competitions for the first team.
He retired aged 31 after a single season as first-choice stopper at Girona to join his family’s jewellery business, having studied for a degree in gemology while still a Barca player.
Oscar Lopez
A regular for Barcelona’s C and B teams, Lopez made just 13 appearances for Barcelona’s first team and his subsequent career was marred by injuries, meaning he retired with only 102 senior appearances to his name.
Oleguer
A more regular fixture in Barcelona’s first team, Oleguer made 167 appearances over six years in the senior squad, winning two titles and the Champions League along the way.
Since retiring as a 31-year-old following a spell at Ajax, he has become best known for his political campaigning for Catalan independence.
Rafael Marquez
Now we’re talking. Marquez was still in his first season at Barcelona at the time of the Porto friendly, but he became a mainstay of the side, becoming the first Mexican player to win the Champions League in 2006.
In 2018, he became the first player to captain his country in five World Cups, coming just a year after he was arrested for alleged ties to a drug trafficking organisation.
68: SUB.
Mexico legend Rafael Márquez replaces Carlos Vela, which draws a great story from the brilliant memory bank of Brian Kerr 😂.. pic.twitter.com/DI0ZkebKqk— eir Sport (@eirSport) June 2, 2017
Fernando Navarro
The man who made way for Messi, Navarro spent the most successful part of his career at Sevilla, where he arrived after being a member of Spain’s victorious Euro 2008 squad and won the Copa del Rey and two Europa League titles.
He retired in 2018 after suffering relegation with Deportivo.
Xavi
World Cup winner, arguably the best midfielder of his generation and looking to lead Barca back to greatness from the manager’s…
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