Griezmann joins Messi in La Liga history with 520th appearance

Griezmann's appearances in Spain's top flight are split between Real Sociedad (141), Barcelona (74) and Atletico Madrid (305). Historically, La Liga has gathered some of the world's finest footballers, and if there's one thing fans of all teams agree on, it's that Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been its standout stars.

Few come close to their numbers, particularly in the goal-scoring department, where Messi netted 474 goals and Ronaldo scored 311. However, others excel in different statistics.

One such player is Antoine Griezmann, a La Liga icon, who reached his 520th match in Spain's top division, equalling the legendary former Barcelona No.10. In a sense, it can now be said that Griezmann has earned his place at Messi's table.

Let's take a look at the Frenchman's figures from his 16 seasons in La Liga, courtesy of BeSoccer Pro.

His appearances are spread across Real Sociedad (141), Barcelona (74) and Atletico Madrid (305). Griezmann has recently entered the top 10 and has already overtaken his first target. The challenge now is to surpass Manolo Sanchis (523) in the next 10 games, leaving him just six behind another legend, Sergio Ramos (536).

Griezmann made his name in the football world at Real Sociedad. Zubieta was his springboard to stardom, and during his time with the Basque side he played 202 matches (141 in La Liga) and scored 53 goals (41 in the Spanish top division). His performances earned him a move to Atletico Madrid in the 2014/15 season, where he has now played for nine seasons. However, his time at Barcelona, although brief, saw him score 34 goals in 102 matches.

Griezmann is part of Atletico Madrid's history. He is the club's all-time top scorer with 195 goals and the second player with the most assists (85). He is also the 8th player with the most appearances in the club's history (431), making him a symbol of the club.

His importance throughout his time at Atletico has been crucial. He has always been Diego Simeone's trusted man, and his 382 starts under the Argentine are proof of that. However, this season has not been as prolific for the No.7. Despite being the team's second-top scorer with 16 goals and registering eight assists, his role in the team has diminished.

This has sparked criticism, particularly due to his lack of impact on the field, with fans expecting more from him in key games. He has gone four consecutive matches without scoring, and in the last nine matches, he has been substituted in eight. It's clear that his fitness no longer allows him to play 90 minutes, and his new role is further from the goal, limiting his chances to score.

Nevertheless, the Frenchman remains an important piece in the team's system, with all of the team's offensive plays flowing through him. He is the second player with the most key passes (19) and the player who has combined most successfully in the box (65).

On the downside, he is also the player with the most ball losses in the team. Despite this, there’s an encouraging stat for Atletico fans that clearly highlights the player's value: whenever he has scored this season, Atletico have not lost (12 wins and a draw).

Antoine is still far from Messi's numbers in La Liga. He is 110 assists and 276 goals behind the Argentine, but he can now count himself among the elite of La Liga, having matched the legendary Messi's number of appearances and becoming part of the constellation of stars that make up the world's best league. Griezmann remains a reliable asset to Spanish football.