GOAT Debate: Messi 1st in goal involvements across Europe's Top 5 leagues, Ronaldo 9th

What's the story?

Barcelona ace Lionel Messi has emerged No.1 on the list of players with most goal involvements (Goals+Assists) in Europe's top 5 leagues, as per WhoScored.com statistics. Having scored 36 league goals and contributed a further 13 assists in La Liga, La Pulga's total goal involvements stands at a ridiculous 49 (in 34 games!).

Second on the list is Paris Saint Germain's French striker Kylian Mbappe with 40 (33 goals, 7 assists) while Sampdoria's veteran striker Fabio Quagliarella comes in at 3rd with 34 (26 goals, 8 assists).

In case you didn't know...

Lionel Messi has been in scintillating form this season, ending the 2018-19 campaign by achieving an unprecedented three-peat of the planet's most coveted goalscoring titles -winning The European Golden Shoe, the La Liga Pichichi title as well as the UEFA Champions League Top Scorer title. Messi's 12 goals and 3 assists in the Champioins League, however, went in vain as Barcelona were sensationally knocked out by eventual champions, Liverpool in the semi-finals.

Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to hit his peak in front of goal since moving from Real Madrid to Juventus at the beginning of this season. The mercurial Portuguese hitman finished the Serie A season only the 4th top scorer in the Serie A, behind Sampdoria's Fabio Quagliarella, Atalanta's Duvan Zapata and AC Milan's Krzysztof Piatek.

Despite winning the Serie A title easily, the Portuguese talisman was unable to inspire the Old Lady to Champions League success, as the Turin club was knocked out in the semi-finals by an energetic, youthful and efficient Ajax Amsterdam side.

The heart of the matter

As per statistics from WhoScored.com, Lionel Messi leads the pack in terms of goal involvements across Europe's top 5 leagues; his 49 goal involvements from 34 games coming at an otherworldly rate of 1.63 goals or assists every 90 minutes. Eden Hazard is the highest ranked Premier League star, occupying the 5th spot with 31 goal involvements (16 goals, 15 assists). Ronaldo occupies the 9th spot with 29 goal involvements (21 goals, 8 assists).

Goal Involvements Top 10 (Europe's Top 5 Leagues)

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 49 (36 goals, 13 assists) -1.63 goal involvements per 90 minutes
2. Kylian Mbappe (PSG) - 40 (33 goals, 7 assists) -1.54 goal involvements per 90 minutes
3. Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria) -34 (26 G, 8 A) -0.95 goal involvements per 90 minutes
4. Nicolas Pepe (Lille) -33 (22 G, 11 A) -0.89 goal involvements per 90 minutes
5. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) -31 (16 G, 15 A) -0.95 goal involvements per 90 minutes
6. Duvan Zapata (Atalanta) -30 (23 G, 7 A) -0.93 goal involvements per 90 minutes
7. Mohammed Salah (Liverpool) -30 (22 G, 8 A) -0.83 goal involvements per 90 minutes
8. Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) -29 (21 G, 8 A) -1.05 goal involvements per 90 minutes
9. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) -29 (21 G, 8 A) -0,97 goal involvements per 90 minutes
10. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) -29 (22 G, 7 A) -0.88 goal involvements per 90 mins

Want to guess who is @LaLiga top goalscorer? 😅FYI: La Pulga contributed to 48 @FCBarcelona goals and Sarabia only has one more assist than Messi (12) 👀 pic.twitter.com/max71d0Ima

— Wyscout (@Wyscout) May 31, 2019

What's next?

Messi will next take the field for Argentina, in the upcoming Copa America in Brazil. Argentina are drawn in the Group B of the tournament, along with Colombia, Paraguay and 2019 Asian Cup Champions Qatar.

La Albiceleste's first match will be against James Rodriguez-led Colombia on 15th June. They will take on Nicaragua in a preparatory friendly before the tournament on June 5. Cristiano Ronaldo will captain the Portuguese national side as they take on Switzerland in the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League on Thursday.