<P> During the 2003 -- 04 season , his fourth with Barcelona , Messi rapidly progressed through the club 's ranks , debuting for a record five teams in a single campaign . After being named player of the tournament in four international pre-season competitions with the Juveniles B , he played only one official match with the team before being promoted to the Juveniles A , where he scored 18 goals in 11 league games . Messi was then one of several youth players called up to strengthen a depleted first team during the international break . French Winger Ludovic Giuly explained how a teenage Leo caught the eye in a training session with Frank Rijkaard 's first team : `` He destroyed us all ... They were kicking him all over the place to avoid being ridiculed by this kid , he just got up and kept on playing . He would dribble past four players and score a goal . Even the team 's starting centre - backs were nervous . He was an alien . '' At 16 years , four months , and 23 days old , he made his first team debut when he came on in the 75th minute during a friendly against José Mourinho 's Porto on 16 November 2003 . His performance , creating two chances and a shot on goal , impressed the technical staff , and he subsequently began training daily with the club 's reserve side , Barcelona B , as well as weekly with the first team . After his first training session with the senior squad , Barça 's new star player , Ronaldinho , told his teammates that he believed the 16 - year - old would become an even better player than himself . Ronaldinho soon befriended Messi , whom he called `` little brother '' , which greatly eased his transition into the first team . </P>
<P> During the 2003 -- 04 season , his fourth with Barcelona , Messi rapidly progressed through the club 's ranks , debuting for a record five teams in a single campaign . After being named player of the tournament in four international pre-season competitions with the Juveniles B , he played only one official match with the team before being promoted to the Juveniles A , where he scored 18 goals in 11 league games . Messi was then one of several youth players called up to strengthen a depleted first team during the international break . French Winger Ludovic Giuly explained how a teenage Leo caught the eye in a training session with Frank Rijkaard 's first team : `` He destroyed us all ... They were kicking him all over the place to avoid being ridiculed by this kid , he just got up and kept on playing . He would dribble past four players and score a goal . Even the team 's starting centre - backs were nervous . He was an alien . '' At 16 years , four months , and 23 days old , he made his first team debut when he came on in the 75th minute during a friendly against José Mourinho 's Porto on 16 November 2003 . His performance , creating two chances and a shot on goal , impressed the technical staff , and he subsequently began training daily with the club 's reserve side , Barcelona B , as well as weekly with the first team . After his first training session with the senior squad , Barça 's new star player , Ronaldinho , told his teammates that he believed the 16 - year - old would become an even better player than himself . Ronaldinho soon befriended Messi , whom he called `` little brother '' , which greatly eased his transition into the first team . </P>
when did messi started playing for barca first team
when did messi started playing for barca first team
16 November 2003
16 November 2003