04:42 BST 07/08/2021
Did you know that Messi has scored the most hat-tricks in the history of La Liga?
Lionel Messi’s 21-year association with FC Barcelona came to an end on Thursday after the club announced that the Argentine won’t be signing a new contract. In a statement released by the Catalan giants, they confirmed that the 34-year-old will leave the club this summer.
The Argentine star’s latest deal expired this summer but he was expected to commit to a new contract ahead of the new season. Messi was set to accept a deal that would see his weekly wage reduced by 50 per cent. But the club’s financial situation made it impossible for them to register him for the new season without drastically reducing their wage bill.
Messi is arguably the greatest player to have graced Barcelona. He appeared in 775 matches for Barcelona since making his debut in 2004 and scored 670 goals. Out of those 670 goals, 472 were scored in La Liga which is the all-time highest in the league’s history.
The Argentine attacker has scored a total of 48 hat-tricks for Barcelona. He has scored the most number of hat-tricks in La Liga’s history (36). In the UEFA Champions League, Messi has scored as many hat-tricks as Cristiano Ronaldo (eight).
Which team has Lionel Messi scored the most of hat-tricks against?
| Opponent | No. of hat-tricks | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Valencia | 4 | La Liga (3), Copa del Rey (1) |
| Osasuna | 3 | La Liga |
| Espanyol | 3 | La Liga |
| Athletic Bilbao | 3 | La Liga (2), Copa del Rey (1) |
| Deportivo La Coruna | 3 | La Liga |
| Sevilla | 3 | La Liga (2), Spanish Super Cup (1) |
| Granada | 2 | La Liga |
| Rayo Vallecano | 2 | La Liga |
| Malaga | 2 | La Liga |
| Levante | 2 | La Liga |
| Real Madrid | 2 | La Liga |
| Eibar | 2 | La Liga |
| Mallorca | 2 | La Liga |
| Real Betis | 2 | La Liga |
| Celta Vigo | 2 | La Liga, Champions League |
| Real Zaragoza | 1 | Copa del Rey |
| Almeria | 1 | La Liga |
| Tenerife | 1 | La Liga |
| Leganes | 1 | La Liga |
| APOEL | 1 | Champions League |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 1 | Champions League |
| Ajax | 1 | Champions League |
| Viktoria Plzen | 1 | Champions League |
| Arsenal | 1 | Champions League |
| Manchester City | 1 | Champions League |
| PSV | 1 | Champions League |
Source: Goal
