Champions League: Leo Messi Becomes First Player To Score In 16 Straight Seasons

Lionel Messi became the first player to score in 16 straight Champions League seasons with his goal against Ferencvaros on Tuesday.

Messi weaved through the Hungarian side’s defence in the first half and was brought down in the box, earning a penalty for his side.

The Argentine dispatched the ensuing spot-kick, giving his side the lead in the 27th minute of their Group G opener.

Messi is only the second player to score in 16 Champions League seasons overall, joining Manchester United Ryan Giggs in reaching the feat.

Ansu Fati would add a goal just before half-time to give the home side a comfortable advantage at Camp Nou.

Fati made history of his own with the goal, becoming the first player to ever score more than once in the Champions League before his 18th birthday.

Tuesday’s strike was just Messi’s second goal of the 2020-21 campaign, having now gone three straight league matches without a goal after scoring against Villarreal on opening day.

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Messi is still looking for his first goal from open play this term, with his strike against Villarreal coming from the penalty spot.

The Argentine’s form has even drawn some mild criticism from his manager Ronald Koeman, who admitted before Tuesday’s game that the 33-year-old could be playing better.

“Maybe Messi’s form could be better at this moment, but he’s happy, he’s training well, he’s focused, he wants to play and he wants to be captain of the team and he’s improving. I haven’t got any complaints,” Koeman said.

“He also had bad luck with the ball that hit the post and with the final play of the match. Normally, he puts it between the posts! I have no doubt about his form and we’ll see that in the coming games.”

Messi is coming off a turbulent summer that saw him submit a request to leave Barcelona, only to change his mind after it became clear he may have to embark upon a legal battle with the Blaugrana.

Speaking last month, Messi made it clear that he is unhappy with the state of affairs at Camp Nou after a season in which his side did not win any trophies.

“It was a very difficult year, I suffered a lot in training, in games and in the dressing room,” Messi said. “Everything became very difficult for me and there came a time when I considered looking for new ambitions.”