VIDEO: Barcelona release rare footage of Lionel Messi as a gloriously talented 17-year-old

Some players get better as they get older.

While others stay the same throughout their career. We're not sure what category Lionel Messi falls into, but there's little doubt that the Argentine genius always was able to flummox defenders, at whatever age. The Barcelona wizard is now pushing 29 later this year, but the club have today released rare footage of him as a 17-year-old in the Barca B team in a local derby that highlighted his stunning control, dribbling skill and pace to walk away from defenders. It's well worth two minutes of your precious time to see a player who is officially the best in the world, and was probably close enough to that 12 years ago too strut his stuff. Video: FC Barcelona