The 10 players with most combined goals and assists in Europe’s top five leagues.
On Thursday FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi celebrated 10 years since he made his debut for the Catalans and in honour of that here are the 10 players with the most goals and assists from Europe’s top five leagues during that time.
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10. Robin van Persie
Goals: 136.
Assists: 51.
Joined Arsenal in 2003 for just £2.75m from Feyenoord and over the next nine years became recognised as a world-class striker before joining Manchester United for £24m in 2012 and continuing that success with a Premier League title.
9. Dimitar Berbatov
Goals: 138.
Assists: 58.
Some may be surprised by this inclusion, but then when it’s considered Berbatov enjoyed success with Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur and the Red Devils during the past decade it’s perhaps not so odd after all.
8. Frank Lampard
Goals: 127.
Assists: 76.
The only midfielder on the list Lampard joined Chelsea in 2001 and over the next 13 years went onto become their all-time top-scorer and in many peoples’ eyes their greatest ever player.
7. David Villa
Goals: 166.
Assists: 43.
Impressed at Real Zaragoza and then Valencia before Barcelona snapped up Spain’s all-time top-scorer in 2010 and he enjoyed three years of success at the Nou Camp before joining Atletico Madrid in 2013 and winning La Liga with them as well.
6. Francesco Totti
Goals: 136.
Assists: 81.
The forward that never seems to age with Totti still captaining and impressing for AS Roma currently at 38-years-old and the Italian is the epitome of a one club player.
5. Antonio di Natale
Goals: 178.
Assists: 54.
Another veteran Italian now and an attacker who for all his success with Udinese just never quite made it at the very top, although di Natale will be remembered very fondly when he does finally hang up his boots.
4. Wayne Rooney
Goals: 161.
Assists: 79.
The current United skipper made his move to Old Trafford 10 years ago when he joined from Everton aged 18-years-old for £27m and perhaps doesn’t get the credit he deserves if these statistics are anything to go by.
3. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Goals: 196.
Assists: 79.
Something of a journeyman as over the past 10 years the striker has played for Juventus, Inter Milan, Barce, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain and has clearly scored by the bagful along the way as well.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
Goals: 270.
Assists: 79.
Between 2003 and 2009 the Portugal captain won the Ballon d’Or with the Red Devils and then became the most expensive player ever upon joining Real Madrid for £80m and has since become even better.
1. Lionel Messi
Goals: 249.
Assists: 100.
As it is a list in honour of his decade in Catalonia it seems rather fitting that the man who has won a record four successive Ballon d’Ors tops the list and at 27-years-old, Messi could go onto achieve a lot more.