Lionel Messi continues to be leader ahead of Bruno Fernandes and Kevin De Bruyne in incredible statistic despite leaving Europe in 2023
Lionel Messi has made more accurate through balls in the last two seasons than the best five numbers across Europe's top-five leagues. The achievement is significant, as Messi no longer plays in the continent.
La Pulga left Europe after 19 seasons - including the first 17 at Barcelona - for Inter Miami last summer, joining the Herons on a free transfer. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is now playing his first full season in American football but has had an injury-plagued year, missing multiple games for club and country.
Nevertheless, whenever he has been fit, Messi has shown his pedigree by producing two more through balls than Bruno Fernandes (35) - the man with the most through balls in the last two seasons across Europe's top-five leagues.
Martin Odegaard (32), Alex Baena (25) and Kevin De Bruyne (22) occupy the next four spots in the list compiled by WhoScored.
While Fernandes (Manchester United), Odegaard (Arsenal) and Kevin De Bruyne ply their trade in the Premier League, Baena (Villarreal) does so in La Liga. Meanwhile, Messi accomplished the aforementioned numbers with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain and his current club Inter Miami.
Lionel Messi becomes most decorated player in history
Argentina captain Lionel Messi added another feather to his cap last week when he won the 2024 Copa America, with his team beating Colombia 1-0 in extra time in the Miami final.
That made the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner the first player to win 45 titles with club and country, having been in a tie with his former Barcelona teammate Dani Alves. For context, his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo has 35, with two of them coming with Portugal.
Among those titles, Messi has won four with Argentina, with his latest Copa triumph adding to his previous successes at the 2021 Copa America, 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In club football, La Pulga won 38 of his 41 titles with his former club Barcelona - whom he left in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer to PSG, where he won three titles.