Author: Abdi Rashid For Mailonline
Updated at 16:24 on October 21, 2023, 21:48 on October 21, 2023
- Lionel Messi has completed a staggering 2,358 dribbles since 2006-07
- Longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo finished sixth with just 937 points over the same period
- Listen to the latest episode of the Mail Sport Podcast, “Where It All Begins!”
According to data released by the football club, since the 2006-07 season, Messi has become the player with the most dribbles in the top five European leagues. choose.
The Argentinian superstar has dominated football since making his professional debut in 2004 and is now on track to win his eighth Ballon d’Or later this month.
In 1,044 career games, Messi scored 821 goals and provided 361 assists. But he also leads the way in dribbling completions compared to his peers in multiple European leagues.
Messi has carried the ball 2,358 times since August 2006, 1,073 more than his nearest rival, former Chelsea and Real Madrid star Eden Hazard.
Hazard, who retired earlier this month, has carried the ball 1,285 times despite playing just 76 games for the club over the past four years.
Messi’s long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo completed only 937 dribbles during the same period, ranking sixth.
This will come as a surprise to many fans as the Portuguese star was a serial dribbler in his first season at Manchester United and early in his Real Madrid career.
Former Bayern Munich and France international Franck Ribery is third, while Neymar is further down the list.
Fans of the Brazil star will have to wait a long time to see him play for Al Hilal again, as he suffered an ACL injury against Brazil this week.
Meanwhile, Galatasaray striker Wilfried Zaha also has a place on the list, taking fifth place.
The Ivory Coast international became one of the most feared strikers during his time with Crystal Palace in the Premier League due to his pace and fluid dribbling.