Watch: Lionel Messi in action as a schoolboy for Barcelona

He ripped apart Tottenham during the week in the Champions League, and this video shows Lionel Messi has been terrorising defences for years.

The Barcelona star joined the club as a teenager and immediately his skills were evident.

This film shows him in action as a schoolboy with all the balance and vision we saw on display against Spurs at Wembley on Wednesday.

Messi tormented Mauricio Pochettino’s side and scored two in his side’s 4-2 demolition of the Premier League team.

And here he is much earlier in his career, doing pretty much the same.