Barcelona, Spain – May 2004
The whispers never stopped.
Not since the night at the Bernabéu. Not after the bruises. Not even after his performances in Argentina's youth camp.
"The kid is good, but can he start?""Can he play a full 90 minutes?""He's a spark off the bench — but is he ready to carry the fire?"
Messi didn't answer.
He trained. Listened. Waited.
Until one Friday morning, Rijkaard stepped into the locker room with a single sentence:
"Messi starts Sunday."
The room paused — not in disbelief, but respect.
Ronaldinho grinned. "It's time, hermano."
The Opponent: Real Sociedad
Not the strongest team in the league. But not pushovers either.
They pressed hard. Played fast. Their defenders were rough, unkind, and older than Messi had ever faced in 90 consecutive minutes.
"They'll try to rattle him," Rijkaard told the press."But I don't think he rattles."
Sunday – The Walk Into Camp Nou
The stadium didn't roar when Messi's name was announced.
It sang.
"¡Lioooonel, Lioooonel, Messi!"
He stood in the tunnel, staring at the pitch.
The sky was a deep blue above. The grass perfect below.
As he walked out with the starters, shoulder-to-shoulder with Ronaldinho, Deco, Xavi, and Puyol — there was no shaking in his knees.
He belonged now.
Minute 1–10: The Nerves
The first few minutes were careful.
Messi stayed wide on the right. He passed quickly, avoided risk. He was tidy — not spectacular.
He could feel the tension in the stands.A thousand eyes waiting. Hoping.
Minute 13 – First Dribble
Xavi passed him the ball on the wing.
One defender closed in. Messi shifted left.
Another came. Messi slid through a gap between them.
The crowd gasped.
But the cross was overhit.
Still — the energy changed.
Rijkaard folded his arms on the touchline and said, "He's warming up."
Minute 21 – First Strike
Ronaldinho spotted Messi cutting inward and floated a soft pass over the top.
Messi brought it down with his chest, let it bounce, and hit it clean with his left.
The keeper stretched…
Saved.
But the stadium clapped.
Even the missed shot was beautiful.
Minute 37 – The Moment Arrives
Barcelona moved the ball with speed:Deco to Xavi.Xavi to Ronaldinho.Ronaldinho paused, then flicked the ball — no look — to Messi just outside the box.
Two defenders in front.The goalkeeper stepped out.
Messi cut inside.
The defender followed — Messi feinted left, went right, back to left.
The ball stayed glued to his foot.
The second defender lunged — Messi tapped it around him.
The goal opened.
The stadium held its breath.
Messi struck low. Fast. Left foot.
GOAL.
Barcelona 1 – Real Sociedad 0.
Camp Nou erupted.
It wasn't just the finish.
It was the way he danced into space.
How he made defenders look lost.
How he played like this was his stage, not theirs.
The Celebration
Messi ran to the corner flag, arms out, head back, eyes closed.
His teammates chased him — Ronaldinho first, then Deco, then even Puyol from center-back.
He was buried in blue and red.
The cameras zoomed in.
And for the first time, the world saw:
The boy had become Barcelona's lightning bolt.
Second Half – The Maestro Grows
He didn't fade after halftime.
He became stronger.
He tracked back. He intercepted a pass. He beat the same full-back three times with different moves.
In the 73rd minute, he nearly curled in a second goal — denied by the crossbar.
Minute 88 – The Final Act
Barcelona led 2–0 now.
Messi had created the second goal with a flick-pass no one saw coming.
But the best was yet to come.
Real Sociedad pushed numbers forward.
Puyol cleared a cross.
Ronaldinho picked up the ball and turned. He looked left.
Messi was already sprinting.
Ronaldinho lobbed a perfect through ball — floating above defenders.
Messi didn't wait for it to drop.
He volleyed it first-time.
Left foot. No bounce. Full control.
GOAL.
3–0.
The stadium sang his name, louder than ever.
Full-Time: Barcelona 3 – Real Sociedad 0
Two goals. One assist. A standing ovation.
Even Rijkaard clapped as Messi walked off.
As he sat on the bench after the whistle, towel around his neck, Ronaldinho leaned in.
"You're not just part of this team anymore."
"You're the future of it."
Post-Match Press Conference
The reporters asked every question.
"How do you feel?"
"Did you expect to score twice?"
"What do you say to your critics now?"
Messi only shrugged and smiled.
"I just play."
Notebook Entry – That Night
Anto,I started today. My name was on the first eleven.The fans screamed. The ball felt light.I scored twice. I ran like I couldn't stop.Ronnie says the future is mine.But I don't want to be a future.I want to be present. Right now. Every match. Every second.Not just for Barcelona.For you. For Rosario. For the kid I used to be.—Leo
Meanwhile – Rosario, Argentina
Antonela had watched the match online. The stream froze once, and she screamed.
But when it resumed and Messi scored his second, she held her breath.
Then she whispered to the screen:
"They see you now. But I always did."
Volume 2 Ends
Lionel Messi had arrived. Not as a prodigy.
Not as a spark.
But as a storm.
And the world?
They were finally listening.
But in the shadows of fame, whispers still waited.
Whispers of expectation, pressure, rivalry, and destiny.
Because the next step?
Becoming the greatest.