Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time and arguably Barcelona’s finest-ever player. However, several other players also made their senior debuts for the Spanish giants during the 2004-05 season, with their careers at Camp Nou taking different paths.
Messi made his competitive first-team debut in October 2004, coming on as a substitute against Espanyol. Here is a look back at some of the players who began their Barcelona journeys in the same season and how they fared at the club.
Sylvinho
Former Arsenal defender Sylvinho enjoyed considerable success at Barcelona after joining from Celta Vigo for €2 million. He won three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies during his time at the club.
His final appearance came in the 2009 Champions League final against Manchester United, where he played the entire match as Barcelona secured the trophy.
Juliano Belletti
Belletti made 39 appearances in his first season as Barcelona won their first La Liga title since 1999. However, competition from Oleguer and the subsequent arrival of Gianluca Zambrotta limited his opportunities.
The Brazilian eventually joined Chelsea in 2007, but his most memorable Barcelona moment remained his winning goal in the 2006 Champions League final.
Ludovic Giuly
Giuly joined Barcelona from Monaco for €7 million after helping the French side reach the 2004 Champions League final. He scored on his debut against Racing Santander and finished his first season with 11 goals.
He played a crucial role in Barcelona’s 2006 Champions League triumph, scoring the decisive goal in the semi-final against AC Milan before featuring for the full 90 minutes in the final against Arsenal.
However, Messi’s emergence reduced his playing time, and Giuly left for Roma in 2007.
Edmílson
Brazilian defender Edmílson arrived for €10 million but struggled with injuries during his early years in Spain, making only six appearances in his first season.
He recovered to contribute to Barcelona’s successful 2005-06 campaign and started the Champions League final against Arsenal. He was substituted at half-time for Andrés Iniesta as Barcelona fought back to win 2-1.
Following a disappointing 2007-08 season, Edmílson left the club.
Samuel Eto’o
Eto’o was already an established goalscorer at Mallorca before Barcelona signed him in 2004, despite his previous connection with Real Madrid.
The Cameroonian striker went on to score 130 goals in 199 appearances for Barcelona, winning eight major honours. He left for Inter Milan in 2009 but remains a celebrated figure among Barcelona supporters.
Damià Abella
Promoted from Barcelona’s reserve team alongside Messi, Damià made his first-team debut as an emergency right-back during a 1-1 draw against Athletic Bilbao in October 2004.
Despite making nine appearances in the 2004-05 season, he struggled to establish himself and joined Real Betis in 2006. He later spent two seasons at Middlesbrough between 2014 and 2016.
Jordi Martínez
Martínez was Barcelona’s third-choice goalkeeper behind Víctor Valdés and Albert Jorquera. He received an opportunity in December 2004 when Valdés was sent off during a match against Valencia, helping the team secure a 1-1 draw.
He retained his place for the subsequent victory over Levante but was released in 2008. He later played for several Spanish clubs, including Málaga, Rayo Vallecano, Deportivo La Coruña and Osasuna.
Henrik Larsson
Larsson’s time at Barcelona was relatively short, but the Swedish striker made a significant contribution to the club’s success. He became particularly important during the 2006 Champions League final, providing the assists for both goals in Barcelona’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal.
Javito
Javito managed just one first-team appearance for Barcelona, featuring in a Champions League defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk in December 2004.
A thrombosis diagnosis and other health challenges disrupted his progress, preventing him from establishing himself in the senior squad. He subsequently played for several clubs across Spain, Greece and Turkey.
Rodri
This Rodri was a La Masia graduate, not the Manchester City and Spain midfielder who later won the Ballon d’Or.
The centre-back made only two first-team appearances for Barcelona before leaving for Deportivo La Coruña in 2006. He struggled to make a lasting impression there and subsequently played for clubs in different countries, including Russia and Portugal, before returning to Spain’s lower divisions.
Joan Verdú
Verdú made just two appearances for Barcelona’s senior team, including a Copa del Rey fixture and the Champions League defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk.
After leaving for Deportivo La Coruña in 2006, he developed into a reliable La Liga midfielder. He later enjoyed successful spells with Espanyol and Real Betis, as well as playing for Fiorentina in Italy and Qingdao Huanghai in China.
Maxi López
Barcelona signed Argentine striker Maxi López from River Plate for €6.2 million in January 2005 following an injury to Larsson.
He made an immediate impression by scoring on his Champions League debut against Chelsea, but managed only one more goal for the club. Unable to secure a regular first-team position, he joined Mallorca in 2006 before moving to FC Moscow the following year.
López later played for AC Milan and enjoyed productive spells with Italian sides Catania and Torino. He also featured for Sambenedettese during the 2020-21 season.
Demetrio Albertini
Albertini arrived at Barcelona in January 2005 after a distinguished 14-year career at AC Milan, where he made 293 appearances and represented Italy at four international tournaments.
At 33, the midfielder had limited time to make an impact at Camp Nou, managing just five appearances before retiring at the end of the season. Nevertheless, he added another league title to his collection during his brief spell in Spain.
