During his years with Barcelona, Lionel Messi achieved an impressive record, but now a World Cup winner has surpassed it.
Lionel Messi left an indelible mark on Barcelona and Spanish soccer. Over the 17 years he played there, the Argentine forward established himself as the most important player in the club’s history and broke countless records. However, now a World Cup winner has surpassed a milestone once held by Leo.
This Saturday, Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 against Espanyol, with Antoine Griezmann playing the full match. With this game, he became the foreign player with the most La Liga appearances in history, totaling 521.
The French forward has spent his entire career in Spain. He began his career with Real Sociedad from 2009 to 2014, making 141 appearances. He then moved to Atletico Madrid, where he spent five years in his first stint. Between 2019 and 2021, Antoine played 74 league matches with Barcelona, before returning to Madrid, where this Saturday he reached 306 La Liga appearances.
In doing so, Griezmann broke the record previously held by Lionel Messi, who, after making his professional debut in 2004, played 520 matches in the Spanish league with Barcelona before his move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021.
Other Messi records in La Liga
Antoine Griezmann can take pride in surpassing Lionel Messi in La Liga appearances, but the Argentine forward still holds many records that will be difficult for any player to match, showcasing the immense impact he had during his years at Barcelona.
Messi is the all-time top scorer in La Liga, with 474 goals, leaving Cristiano Ronaldo in second place with 311. He is also the all-time leader in assists, with 193. Leo also holds the record for being the foreign player with the most titles in La Liga, winning a total of 10 over his 17 seasons.
Finally, the Argentine superstar accumulated other records, including the most hat-tricks (36), most goals in a single season (50), most assists in a single season (21), most consecutive matches scoring goals (21), and the most top scorer awards (8).
Griezmann’s future
The record achieved this Saturday doesn’t change the fact that Antoine Griezmann might be nearing the end of his time with Atletico Madrid. There has been speculation for some time that he could leave the Spanish club in the near future to experience his first career stint outside of Spain.
Major League Soccer seems to be one of the most likely destinations for the 2018 World Cup winner with France. “I’ve always said my goal is to finish in the MLS,” Griezmann said in 2023. “It’s a dream for me to play in the United States and enjoy soccer there.”
Despite this, and rumors about a possible move to Los Angeles FC to reunite with his former French national teammates Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud, it appears Griezmann has agreed to stay with Atletico Madrid for at least one more season, so MLS will have to wait.
Credit: Bolavip US
