Lamine Yamal vs. Lionel Messi: Who scored 50 Barcelona goals quicker? | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal has now scored 50 goals across all competitions for Barcelona, but how long did it take him to reach that milestone compared to Lionel Messi?

Yamal recorded his 50th and 51st strikes for Barca in their 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano in August 2026, achieving the feat at just 19 years of age.

In total, it’s taken Yamal 151 matches to reach the 50-goal milestone, averaging a strike every 224.7 minutes during that time.

Of his 50 goals, six have been scored from the penalty spot and none of them have been a direct free-kick.

In comparison, Messi only needed 115 games to reach the 50-goal milestone – 36 games fewer than Yamal. He recorded his 50th in a 5-1 win over Levante in February 2008.

Of Ronaldo’s first 50 goals, seven of them were penalties and one of them was a direct free-kick.

Despite reaching the 50-goal landmark in fewer matches, Messi had provided fewer assists for his teammates when compared to Yamal

After scoring his 50th goal, the Argentinian had accumulated 26 assists for Barcelona, while Yamal has produced 52 assists – exactly double.

It’s worth remembering that Barcelona had a more patient approach when it came to integrating Messi into Frank Rijkaard’s Barca side back in the mid-noughties.

Whereas Yamal has quickly proven himself to be indispensable, despite his tender age. This may have repercussions later in his career, but that appears to be a secondary concern for now.

Here’s the full breakdown of how long it took both Messi and Yamal to score 50 goals for Barcelona.

How long it took Lamine Yamal to reach 50 goals

How long it took Lionel Messi to reach 50 goals