The Messi meme that fans call “Ankara Messi” came from a misheard live commentary call during Lionel Messi’s solo goal against Getafe on April 18, 2007. The phrase sounds like a reference to Ankara, but it actually grew out of Joaquín María Puyal repeatedly shouting “¡Arranca Messi!” as Messi, then 19 years old, drove through defenders and scored.
Messi meme from Getafe
That run lasted long enough to become the kind of clip people keep replaying: Messi started in his own half, moved past several defenders, beat the keeper and finished the move. The goal was likened to Diego Maradona’s “Goal of the Century” at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, which helps explain why one commentary moment could attach itself to the play and survive for almost 20 years.
For fans of Lionel Messi and soccer social media users, the phrase is now shorthand for the kind of dribble that turns a routine possession into a solo break. It is also used with clips from Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and Argentina, and sometimes even for other players who make great solo runs.
Joaquín María Puyal call
Puyal’s words matter more than the internet spelling suggests. “¡Arranca Messi!” was a live reaction to the run, while “Ankara Messi” is the later misheard version that spread after April 18, 2007. The name is not an official nickname, and it is not tied to the capital of Turkey.
That small mismatch between what was said and what viewers heard is the whole story. One broadcast call turned into a meme because the original moment had the pace, balance and finishing touch that fans could recognize instantly, and because the misheard phrase was easy to repeat. The clip still circulates whenever Messi produces one of those trademark dribbling runs, which is how a single call from Getafe stayed alive across club and international football.
