In a career as successful and with as many goals as Lionel Messi‘s, choosing a single goal is no easy task.
Each fan can choose their favorite based on how happy it made them at the time, the precision of the execution, or because it was scored on their birthday. There are literally 896 options. Now, Artificial Intelligence has also joined the debate and chosen one of Leo's historic goals for Barcelona.
Artificial Intelligence chooses Leo's best goal
The Argentine star has made more than one fan scream every time he scored a goal. He did so a total of 672 times with Barça, 32 with PSG, 77 with Inter Miami, and 115 with the Albiceleste.
However, for Google's AI, Gemini, there is no other goal quite like it, one that stands out above the rest like the goal Leo scored on May 30, 2015, with the Catalan club.
A little over ten years ago, Barcelona was playing for everything in the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao. The match ended 3-1 in favor of the Azulgrana team with two goals from Leo, but one of them is historic and the one chosen by the AI.
The play lasted 11.4 seconds, but it was etched in the minds of thousands of fans. It starts near the right wing, surrounded by three defenders who wanted to prevent Leo from continuing his run. And they almost succeeded, had it not been for Messi’s ingenuity in kicking the ball forward and making a self-pass, changing the pace of the play in a matter of seconds. Further ahead and near the goal, a fourth opponent tried to get in Leo’s way, but after passing him, Lionel struck the ball with his left foot and placed it at the near post of goalkeeper Herrerín.
This goal, which left four opponents and the goalkeeper in its wake, was described by Gemini as a "physical impossibility” as Leo invented a move where the chances were nil. And, on top of that, it ended up as a goal nominated for the Puskas Award (won by Wendell Lira, a Goianesia player).
Meanwhile, Messi is preparing to continue making history in 2026. The Argentine idol is close to breaking a new record: he is four goals away from reaching 900 goals in his entire career.
Now, Lionel has already started preseason with Inter Miami and is preparing to play against Independiente del Valle at the Banco Guayaquil Stadium on February 13, before returning to the United States. Then, on February 21, they will face Los Angeles FC away in MLS Matchday 1 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
In addition, if he decides to wear the Albiceleste jersey at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Leo could make history by becoming, along with Cristiano Ronaldo, the only players to compete in six tournaments.
Argentina will arrive at the tournament, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, as the defending champion and will seek to defend the cup they won after defeating France in a dramatic penalty shootout on December 18, 2022, in Qatar. They will be in Group J, alongside Austria, Algeria, and Jordan, and will make their debut against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16. They will then face Austria on Monday, June 22, and Jordan on Friday, June 26. Will he score another historic goal like he did in 2015?
