“In a tense Catalan derby away to Espanyol, a 17-year-old Lionel Messi made his official league debut for Barcelona, stepping onto the pitch in the 82nd minute. He didn’t decide the match, but this quiet cameo in La Liga marked the exact moment the greatest era in modern football began. The game is remembered less for the scoreline and more for the birth of a legend on a big city-rivalry stage.”