Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos equals Barcelona idol Lionel Messi’s goalscoring record in LaLiga

Messi had only set the new record in early October

Sergio Ramos netted a twice-taken penalty for Real Madrid against Leganes on Wednesday night – and in so doing, equalled a LaLiga goalscoring record held by Lionel Messi.

The centre-back scored Real’s third in an eventual 5-0 win, after his initial effort was saved before a retake was ordered.

In beating the goalkeeper at the second attempt, Ramos ensured his name was on the scoresheet for a 16th successive season, something only Messi had previously managed to achieve.

Both players netted their first in 2004/05, with the Spanish defender doing so that season while still playing for Sevilla. He switched to the Santiago Bernabeu club the following campaign, and has netted in each of the following 15 years.

Messi debuted with Barcelona’s senior side that same campaign, scoring once, before going on to make himself an established regular the following year and one of the game’s most iconic players thereafter.

Messi celebrates yet another goal (Reuters)

After sitting out the early part of the current season with injury, Messi scored his first league goal in early October, helping Barcelona to a 4-0 win over Sevilla. He has since tallied four league strikes in 18/19 in the same number of starts.

His time as the only player to ever achieve that feat of scoring in 16 successive LaLiga seasons has lasted less than a month, with Ramos now joining him.

With Messi still capable of hitting 30 league goals a season with relative ease, Ramos on penalty-taking duty with Real Madrid – not to mention his enduring aerial prowess – and neither player likely to depart any time soon, it’s likely the record will continue to be stretched and extended in the coming campaigns.