Lionel Messi: 5 players he has gifted the most penalties to
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi is arguably the best player the game has ever seen. The Paris Saint-Germain superstar is calm and collected on the ball, possesses excellent vision and has a unique quality of impacting play without scoring or assisting. He can effortlessly play as a midfielder, winger, or even a false nine, excelling in each of those roles.
To put the cherry on top, Messi also happens to be one of the most generous players one will ever find. He regularly brings his teammates into play, makes space for them, and has even given them the chance to take penalties to boost their morale.
Yes, the former Barcelona man has gifted 30 penalties to his teammates since 2008, eight of which could have ensured his hat-trick.
Today, we will take a closer look at the beneficiaries of the PSG superstar's generosity. Here are five players who have been gifted the most penalties by the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner:
Special note: Only penalties after the 2008-09 campaign have been taken into account.
#5 Kylian Mbappe – 1 penalty
PSG ace Kylian Mbappe has created a strong bond with Lionel Messi since the latter’s free transfer to the French club from Barcelona in the summer of 2021.
Instead of invading each other’s spaces, the forwards have been playing peacefully, regularly benefitting off of one another. So far, the Argentine has set up Mbappe four times in Ligue 1. No player has assisted another more times in the French top-flight this season.
Mbappe on Messi: "Together we have a blast on the pitch.Personally I love playing with Messi. He is the best." https://t.co/Z4e5Y6WM4U
Mbappe is also the latest player to receive a penalty from the 34-year-old. In the Champions League group stage clash against Club Brugge, Messi allowed Mbappe to take PSG’s second spot-kick of the game.
The Argentina star was on a hat-trick at the time and could have easily taken the kick, as Mbappe was completely fine with it. Instead, he allowed the Frenchman to have a go, who comically put his effort over the bar.
Thankfully, his miss didn’t impact the outcome, as the Parisiens still managed to bag a 3-2 win on the night.
#4 Philippe Coutinho – 2 penalties
Former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho did not enjoy the best of spells at Barcelona. He failed to settle in at the Camp Nou and regularly came under harsh criticism.
Thankfully, he had his captain, Lionel Messi, in his corner, who always tried his best to boost the Brazilian’s morale.
In the couple of seasons they played together in Spain, Barcelona’s record goalscorer let Coutinho take two spot-kicks, both of which were convincingly converted by the Brazilian.
Do you regret leaving Liverpool and signing for Barcelona?
Coutinho: "Sometimes you have to make decisions, one of my dreams was to play at Barcelona. I always feel passionate and grateful to Liverpool, but at that moment I made the decision, and I don't regret it." https://t.co/qvOdiHGVNQ
In the 2018-19 campaign, Messi generously allowed Coutinho to take a 13th minute spot-kick against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
The 29-year-old, who was struggling for form at the time, stepped up and put it away with conviction to put Barca 1-0 up.
Infused with confidence, Coutinho, who is currently on loan at Aston Villa, scored another in the second half to help the Catalan giants to a 6-1 win.