5 best El Clasico performances of the 21st century

4. Messi scores magnificent hat-trick in 3-3 draw

Lionel Messi is one of the best players to ever grace the game of soccer — a common theme among former, current and probably future stars of El Clasico. The Argentine is almost indescribable on the pitch and he showed this in his early ventures into this match.

This game is what epitomized what these clubs are capable of. It was full of fast, free-flowing soccer and by the 29th minute it was already 2-2, Messi twice replying to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s strikes for Madrid.

Sergio Ramos looked to have won the game for Real Madrid but Messi made his first big statement as a Barcelona player by stealing a late equalizer and in doing so scoring his first hat-trick for the Blaugrana.

A draw was probably the right result on the day and even though there wasn’t a winner, it was the best kind of El Clasico. It’s also interesting to look at Messi’s performance with the benefit of hindsight.

Each of the Argentine’s goals were just a preview of what he could do and has done for the past 11 years. It’s incredible that at just 19 years of age Messi bagged a hat-trick in a game that quite often leaves some of the best players looking a little lost.

His first goal was an calm finish as he passed it into the net much like Thierry Henry did so often for Arsenal. His second was a spectacular half-volley that, at the time, might have looked a bit fortunate to hit the underside of the bar and go in.

However, knowing what we know about Lionel Messi today, this precision was almost certainly deliberate. The Argentine superstar rounded off his hat-trick and secured a point for Barcelona with some phenomenal dribbling and a sublime finish that left Casillas for dead.

Barcelona knew Messi was going to be the next big thing but this hat-trick in El Clasico made sure everyone knew his name.