Lionel Messi makes major claim about goal against Real Madrid

Lionel Messi might very well be the greatest player in the history of the game. The debate surrounding him and Cristiano Ronaldo came to an end in the eyes of most with the Argentine winning the World Cup last year. And while Real Madrid supporters might not be fond of him, due to his legendary career at Barcelona, he is universally respected for what he achieved in the game.

Messi is the second-highest goalscorer in the history of football as well, behind only Ronaldo. Naturally, it is hard to pick the best or most memorable goal in a career that has had so many.

He has scored in the Champions League final as well as the World Cup final, the two biggest stages that football can offer. But one against Real Madrid appears to be particularly memorable to Messi as well.

It came in the Champions League semi-final back in 2011 at the Santiago Bernabeu. As reported by the Mirror, he told France Football:

"Well, I always say that special goals are the important thing. 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. I think the most significant goals are always the most important ones. But for one, I would stick with one of those."

Messi makes major claim about goal against Real Madrid

Despite being the two best teams in the world of football for such a long time, Real Madrid and Barcelona never ended up meeting in the UEFA Champions League final during the Messi-Ronaldo era. It quite certainly would have been one of the biggest games ever, but the stars never aligned.

Thus, that Champions League semi-final back in 2011 was the biggest stage the two El Clasico giants shared and Barcelona came out on top. It was not just the peak of the Messi-Ronaldo era though, but also that of the competition between the two teams' managers, Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho.

As for Messi's goal, it was a magical effort for sure, as he glided past numerous Real Madrid defenders before placing the ball past Iker Casillas. A goal perhaps only he could have scored with the stakes so high.