On this day, Messi’s magical run that gave birth to 'Encara Messi' turns 18, watch video

Today marks 18 years since a young Lionel Messi picked up the ball on the half-way line and scored what may have been the best goal of all time, or at least the best goal of his career. In the first leg of a 2007 Copa del Rey semifinal match, Barcelona hosted Getafe at Camp Nou. At the age of 19, Messi was having a great third season with the first team and was already being directly compared to his idol, Argentine legend Diego Maradona.

Just within his half, some 60 yards from the opposition goal, Messi got the ball but was immediately stopped by a Getafe defender, but Messi didn't lose control of the ball. Under a lot of pressure from the third yards, two more defenders join to stop Messi from scoring a goal, but fail as Messi produces his true talent as he fools one defender and then makes the nutmeg and chips the Getafe goalkeeper. The then-Catalan commentator Joaquim Maria Puyal, who observed Messi putting the defender behind, labelled the term as “Encara Messi”.

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Watch the video here:

Day 162 of posting Ankara Messipic.twitter.com/lPVXPSTPGz

— 𝙰𝙽𝙺𝙰𝚁𝙰 𝙼𝙴𝚂𝚂𝙸 (@Ankara_10Messi) April 14, 2025

However, at the whistle of the game, Barcelona defeated Getafe by 5-2 with Messi scoring a brace. However, in the second leg, Getafe made a comeback and won the game by 4-0 and went further into the final with a win on aggregate by 6-5. 

What does Ankara Messi mean?

"Ankara" is just a mispronunciation of the Spanish term "Encara," which refers to the player turning face-to-face with the ball at his feet in this situation. The word's Catalan context, however, translates as "Still" in English. Therefore, "Ankara Messi" means "Still Messi" in Catalan, suggesting that Lionel Messi is still moving forward, dribbling, and immediately facing opponents. The Spanish term "Encara," which has Catalan roots and so means "Still Messi," is simply mispronounced as "Ankara Messi."

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