This archive report was first published on 20 July 2020.
On July 20, 2020, Lionel Messi's remarkable La Liga campaign came to a close, with the Argentine superstar cementing his status as one of the greatest footballers of all time.
Despite Barcelona's disappointing title loss to Real Madrid, Messi's individual achievements were nothing short of phenomenal. He finished the season as the top scorer with an impressive 25 goals in 33 topflight appearances, surpassing Karim Benzema's 21 goals to claim the Pichichi award for the seventh time.
But that was not all - Messi also broke the La Liga assist record, overtaking his former teammate Xavi Hernandez with 21 assists in a single season. This feat marked a new milestone in his illustrious career, with the 33-year-old becoming the first player to achieve this record in La Liga history.
As Barcelona secured a 5-0 victory in their final match of the campaign, Messi scored twice and provided an assist, capping off an incredible display of skill and dedication. The team's performance, however, was marred by their inability to win the title, with Messi expressing his disappointment in a post-match interview.
"We didn't want to end the season like this but it represents how the season has gone," Messi said. "We were a very erratic, very weak, low-intensity team. We have to be self-critical," he added.
