The paparazzi were out en masse. They weren’t fixated on snapping royals, Grammy Award-grabbing musicians or football gods at the Kongresshaus Zürich. Their money shot on 21 December 2009 – ۱۵ years ago today – would be of an elusive kid.

Lionel Messi sidestepped the limelight as often as he did all-but-won tackles. He slunk into the building, dressed casually in jeans, a t-shirt and jacket, with his head bowed. The lensmen would have to wait. They were convinced, however, that they would get what they yearned.

Two days earlier, Messi netted an extra-time winner to compete a historic sextuple for Barcelona. The FIFA Club World Cup™ followed the Copa del Rey, La Liga, UEFA Champions League, Supercopa de Espana and UEFA Super Cup trophies. Messi had scored in five of those title-seizing victories.

No Argentinian had been crowned the FIFA World Player of the Year. Gabriel Batistuta finished third behind David Beckham and a triumphant Rivaldo in 1999, while Messi had come runner-up to Kaka in 2007 and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008. Everyone inside the building expected that to change.

A few hours later, after Pele handed Ronaldo the inaugural Ferenc Puskás Award for his firecracker for Manchester United against Porto, and Marta claimed a fourth successive FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year prize, breaking Birgit Prinz’s record, it was time for the moment of truth for Andres Iniesta, Kaka, Messi, Ronaldo and Xavi. The conqueror came as a surprise to nobody. So much so that Messi, who had now slipped into a custom-made Italian suit and tie, won it by a record points’ haul.

“I’m very happy,” said Messi. “I’m especially honoured that I’m the first Argentinian to win this award. I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me. It’s beautiful to have this recognition from my colleagues from other national teams. I’d also like to thank my Barcelona team-mates. This award is for all of us for a magnificent year.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d achieve everything I have this year. That’s the truth. It is beautiful to achieve a year that cannot possibly be improved. This is the icing on the cake.”

Messi swiftly switched his attention to another event kicking off in six months’ time: the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

“I’ve had a spectacular year, but I’m not settling for what I’ve got. I’m still very young. You can always keep growing. The World Cup is coming. I really want to win it for Argentina and for Diego [Maradona].”

South Africa 2010 ended not in glory for a Maradona-modelled, Messi-fronted Argentina, but a shattering 4-0 thumping by Germany. Twelve years later, in the first World Cup since the passing of ‘El Diez’, their existing No10 finally got his hands on football’s most prestigious prize, enabling cameramen to snap some of the most iconic trophy images in the competition’s history.

‘La Pulga Atomica’, once again, wasn’t settling for what he’d got. Messi was named The Best FIFA Men’s Player – a successor to the FIFA World Player of the Year – for 2022 and 2023, was on an 11-player shortlist for the 2024 award, and inspired Inter Miami to a record regular-season points return in the MLS and, consequently, a place at the new, 32-team FIFA Club World Cup™.

Who could have even fantasised that, 15 years after his inaugural individual ecstasy, Lionel Andres Messi would still be among this sport’s crème de la crème?