Despite his departure in 2021, Lionel Messi has managed to remain the greatest player in the history of Barcelona, establishing himself as the club’s all-time top scorer and assist provider. Nevertheless, the team has managed to resurge without him, led by young players such as Pedri, who is spearheading the new era. The young Spaniard has even recently surpassed a historic LaLiga appearances record previously held by the Argentine.
According to OptaJose on X, formerly Twitter, Pedri Gonzalez has become the youngest player in Barcelona‘s history to reach 150 appearances in La Liga at the age of 23 years and 18 days. With this achievement, the Spaniard star has surpassed Lionel Messi, who had held the record since October 2010, achieving it at 23 years and 121 days after starting against Real Zaragoza.
Far from being a player similar to Messi, Pedri has managed to become the most influential player at Barcelona. Without being a goal scorer or assist provider, the Spaniard has become the defensive and creative axis of Hansi Flick’s team, to the point of being irreplaceable. For this reason, the 23-year-old star promises to leave a historic legacy at Barcelona, leading the Culers to their first Champions League after the Argentine era.
Lionel Messi still remains the most iconic player in Barcelona’s history. Pedri may have managed to surpass him in one record, but the Argentine remains the player with the most appearances in the club’s history, having played 778 matches for the team. In addition, he also stands as the player with the most goals in the history of the club, with 672 goals. For that reason, the Argentine star is not comparable with Pedri, who is still writing his own chapter.
Pedri of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match.
Andres Iniesta raves about Pedri’s massive impact at Barcelona
Although Pedri may not boast the most outstanding statistics, he remains as a key star player of Barcelona’s game structure. As a crucial figure in offense, defense, and playmaking, the Spaniard orchestrates the flow of the game from midfield. Recognizing this, Andrés Iniesta didn’t hesitate to praise the 23-year-old, analyzing his distinctive playing characteristics.
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“I like Pedri. He is an extraordinary soccer player. I love him because he has a story behind him full of hard work and overcoming adversity… he is a differential player, capable of building plays that did not exist before. He invents passes that nobody had previously seen because he possesses great talent and, in addition, he is gradually acquiring an increasingly important role, both at Barcelona and with the Spanish national team,” Iniesta said, via Revista Barça.
With the majority of the 2025-26 season still ahead, Pedri has firmly established himself as Barcelona’s most influential player. His absence disrupts the team’s rhythm significantly. Recognizing his impact, coach Hansi Flick has ensured he remains one of the key players, clocking in 1,444 minutes on the field, even after missing some due to injury. If he can maintain his physical consistency, the Culers could realistically aspire to win all titles this season.
