5 greatest Premier League winners to have played with Lionel Messi
Watching Lionel Messi in the Premier League is something many football fans have dreamt of. The prospect only got more tempting when the Argentine was set to leave Barcelona in the summer transfer window this year.
He was even linked with a move to current Premier League champions Manchester City to reunite with his former manager Pep Guardiola. Unfortunately, the left-footed attacker opted to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and the slimmest of hope was gone.
Lionel Messi in the Premier League would have been delightful to watch
It looks unlikely in the near future that Lionel Messi will come to the Premier League given his age. Nevertheless, the Argentina captain has been blessed to have played with a handful of Premier League winners in his career.
Some have won it after playing with him, while others have won it before they were able to play alongside him. On that note, let's take a look at those amazing Premier League winners who have played alongside Lionel Messi.
#5 Pedro (Chelsea)
Having graduated through the ranks at Barcelona, Pedro started his senior career with the club in 2008. The Spanish forward, with his versatility, was a handy player to have in the team.
Alongside Lionel Messi, Pedro was quite active and productive in the attack for Barcelona. Together the duo won five La Liga titles, three Copa Del Rey's and three Champions League trophies. They played together from 2008 to 2015 after which Pedro joined Chelsea to play in the Premier League.
Players to have played the most matches alongside Lionel Messi 👇
1️⃣ Busquets | 512
2️⃣ Iniesta | 489
3️⃣ Pique | 471
4️⃣ Mascherano | 413
5️⃣ Xavi | 399
6️⃣ Valdes | 353
7️⃣ ❓ | 349
8️⃣ Alba | 289
9️⃣ Pedro | 270
🔟 Puyol | 269
Who's missing? 🤔 https://t.co/dBSjvMoxpR
During his five years with the Blues, the Spaniard chipped in with his goal contributions at distant but regular intervals. He scored 43 goals and made 28 assists in 206 appearances for them. He was part of the Chelsea team that won the Premier League in the 2016-17 season. Since the 2020-21 season, Pedro has been playing in Serie A for S.S. Lazio.
#4 Yaya Toure (Manchester City)
Yaya Toure was a terrific servant to Manchester City in the Premier League for almost seven seasons. He joined them in the summer of 2010 after spending three seasons at Barcelona.
The Ivorian joined the Catalan club in the 2007-08 season and left at the end of the 2009-10 season. During his three seasons with the Spanish club, Yaya Toure was a regular face in their midfield. During that duration, he played alongside Lionel Messi and made some good memories. The duo contributed in their own way in helping Barcelona win their first ever Treble in the 2008-09 season.
Yaya Touré talking about Lionel Messi: “A few years ago in the dressing room he jokingly said he will nutmeg me. Whenever he came near me l screamed inside 'please not me, don't nutmeg me'. I was afraid he'd embarrass me in front of my family." https://t.co/kgCBkBbTJ8
That being said, Yaya Toure is best known for his contributions at Manchester City. He was a key player in bringing success to the club after the Abu Dhabi-based City Football Group took over. The dynamic midfielder had a stellar partnership with David Silva in midfield as they helped City win three Premier League titles in the last decade.