Lionel Messi, Barcelona legend, becomes 1st player to win 7 Pichichi awards
- Lionel Messi has received his Spanish League top scorer award
- The 33-year-old topped the chart last season after scoring 25 goals in 33 games
- Messi has now become the first player to win a record seventh title
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Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has been crowned Spanish League's highest goals scorer for the 2019-20 campaign.
The 33-year-old emerged winner of the award for the seventh time after producing 25 goals in 33 appearances - while also assisting 21 other goals.
Though his individual performance could not help the Catalans win the league as they lost the title to arch-rivals Real Madrid, he ended up crowning his efforts with the prestigious prize.
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The award is presented annually at the Marca Football Awards gala, but this time, the ceremony went virtual owing to the ravaging effects of COVID-19.
Source: Getty Images
This honour is historic for the Argentine after beating Telmo Zarra, who had six Pichichi awards to his name.
Meanwhile, this is the fourth straight time the six-time Ballon d'Or winner will be winning the golden boot according to Barcelona's official website.
This means that he has also equalled the feat achieved by Mexican striker, Hugo Sanchez, who won it in 1984/85 (with Atlético Madrid) and in the following three seasons with Real Madrid (1985/86, 1986/87 and 1987/88).
Messi while reacting to the award said he was overjoyed to have surpassed Telmo Zarra's achievement in football.
"I never imagined that I would achieve so many Pichichi trophies and could surpass Zarra; it is a great joy."
The forward also insisted that Barcelona will not give up the fight for every title available this season despite starting on a very poor note. He said:
"We will fight until the end to win everything. We didn't start well, but little by little we are growing.
"Now the important thing is to get a streak of several consecutive victories to be able to move up the table." Hopefully, we can see our fans again soon."
Legit.ng earlier reported that Lionel Messi was presented with his seventh Pichichi trophy after emerging top scorer in the Spanish topflight division last season.
But the Barcelona captain is far from impressed in winning another highest scorer's award after his team lost La Liga title to Real Madrid in the previous campaign.
And since the departure of his fiercest rival Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in 2018, Messi has won the Pichichi without any formidable competition.
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Source: Legit.ng
