Lionel Messi picks his favourite goal of his career

Lionel Messi has chosen his solo effort in a UEFA Champions League semi final win over Real Madrid in 2011 as his favourite goal of his career.

The forward recently won his record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or, which he earned thanks to his inspirational performances for Argentina on their way to a World Cup triumph in Qatar, cementing his legacy as the greatest footballer of all time.

Having scored an astonishing 821 times for both club and country at senior level, including some of the very best of the modern era, Messi had plenty of goals to choose from when asked what his favourite of his career was after winning his latest Ballon d’Or.

The Diego Maradona-esque one against Getafe, the powerful run against Real Zaragoza, or his stunning header in the 2009 Champions League final, are a few he could have chosen as his favourite, however Messi instead opted for his goal against arch rivals Real Madrid.

“Well, I always say that special goals are the important thing,” he said.

“To have scored in the Champions League final, to have scored now in the final of the World Cup…I don’t know. A goal that I always remember and I don’t go much for the goal and for what the goals mean, it’s the goal against Real Madrid, which we beat 2-0 in that Champions League semi-final at the Bernabeu.”

The goal was a rather extraordinary one, with Messi playing a quick one-two in the middle of the park before drifting miraculously past five Real Madrid players and slipping the ball past Iker Casillas.

Messi’s goal sent Barcelona to the UEFA Champions League final, a game he’d also score in for Pep Guardiola’s 2010/11 side – a team widely considered to be one of the best in footballing history.

The legendary forward would go on to finish his career in Europe with 129 Champions League goals to his name, as well as four Champions League winners’ medals.

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