Lionell Messi. AP Yonhap News
FC Barcelona of Spain’s Primera Liga is one of the most prestigious clubs, hoping that all soccer players wear uniforms and play at least one game. As such, in order to compete in more than a few hundred games in this club, it has to hold the top position for a long time.
Lionel Messi (34), who has been leading the team for more than 10 years as FC Barcelona’s ace, has finally become the club’s most active player. On the 16th, he started at the home game of the 27th round of the 2020-2021 season against Huesca in Barcelona, Spain. This is the 767th match of Messi wearing a Barcelona uniform, which marked the tie with Xavi Hernandez, the team’s most played record, currently being coached by Qatar Alsade. Messi, who played only in FC Barcelona and only one team, will be the owner of a new record in the match against Real Sociedad on the 22nd, unless there is any change.
This is a record possible because he continued to show the world’s best skills after debuting in the 1st Army in Barcelona in 2003. In particular, it is unmatched in scoring. Messi scored 14 goals only in the 2006-2007 season, which settled in the first team in earnest, and scored more than 20 league points in all seasons after the 2008-2009 season. 20 points is a number that can challenge the top scorer in any league in the world, and Messi’s name was found at the top of the La Liga scoring rankings every season.
In addition, he scored 20 goals in the game on the same day as the club’s largest player, and achieved more than 20 points for 13 consecutive seasons. After receiving a pass from Sergio Busquets in the 13th minute of the first half, he scored the opening goal by shooting a left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty arc. Barcelona won 4-1 amidst Messi’s performance.
By adding 2 goals, the gap between Luis Suarez (18 goals) was widened by 3 goals, and it was one step ahead in the scoring competition. Since the scoring cannons are getting hotter as we enter the second half, the expectation of losing the top scorer 5 in a row after the 2016-2017 season has grown even more.
FC Barcelona, which was sluggish at the beginning of the season amid Messi’s performance, accelerated the pace of the lead chase. Including the recent 4 consecutive wins, 17 games were undefeated (14 wins and 3 draws), narrowing the difference to 4 in the league with second place in the league (59 points) from the lead AT Madrid (63 points).
Reporter Pilwoong Seo [email protected]
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