Messi Sets Record, Becomes First Spanish Player To Win 500 Matches

Six times Ballon d’ Or winner, Lionel Messi has become the first player in the history of La Liga to win 500 matches, after he led Barcelona to a 5-0 win over Leganes in the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona head coach Quique Setien had left the Argentine out of his starting line up in the round 32 game against Ibiza in the Copa del Rey.

The Barcelona legend on Thursday led his team to a comfortable 5-0 victory over Leganes, however setting a new record to the existing ones he has set in the Spanish league, also leading the Spanish champions the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.

In the first half of the encounter, Antoine Greizmann and Clement Lenglet netted a goal each to give the Blaugrana giants a comfortable half-time lead at Camp Nou.

Leo added to the score line to  3-0, before Arthur added the fourth goal in the 77th minute, as the legend found a fashionable braze of the night when he smashed the ball into the roof of the net, after dribbling pass the Leganes goalkeeper.

The outcome set a new record for the maestro as he earned his 500th for Barca in 710 games, which is the most wins ever recorded by a single player in La Liga history.

Messi’s braze has increased his goals for the season to 20, as he may likely add to the tally in the League game against Levante at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Similarly, Real Madrid, Granada, Villarreal and Real Sociedad have booked a place in the Copa del Rey quarter finals, as draws will be Friday to decide their opponents.

Barcelona fell three points down to second place on the league table after a disappointing 2-0 La Liga defeat at Valencia on Saturday, while Real Madrid took over the league table.