Barcelona star Pedri reaches Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta in historic club milestone

At just 18 years old, Barcelona’s rising star Pedri cemented his place in the team and has now achieved a milestone shared by legends Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Xavi Hernandez,

Pedri first caught FC Barcelona’s attention in 2019 while playing for second-division side Las Palmas at just 16 years old. A year later, he joined the Catalan giants and quickly established himself as a vital player despite his young age. Now, after more than four years competing at the highest level, Pedri has reached a milestone shared by club legends Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Xavi Hernandez.

On November 25, 2024, Pedri turned 22, having already proven his value in La Liga, the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona, and international tournaments like the Euros and the World Cup with Spain national team. Statistically, Pedri has become the second player with the most appearances for Barcelona before turning 22, featuring in an impressive 161 matches.

This milestone matches Lionel Messi’s record of 161 games at the same age in Barcelona, and surpasses the appearances of legendary midfielders Xavi and Iniesta, with 130 and 119 respectively.

The only player ahead of Pedri in this category is Bojan Krkic, who recorded 163 appearances before turning 22. Bojan is often remembered as a cautionary tale—a young Barcelona star who, despite a promising start, struggled to meet lofty expectations later in his career.

Comparisons with Messi, however, highlight the unique context of Pedri’s achievements. By 21, Messi was already considered one of the world’s greatest players, finishing second in the 2008 Ballon d’Or and 2009 FIFA World Player awards, just behind Cristiano Ronaldo. While Pedri is an integral part of Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, he remains far from reaching Messi’s extraordinary individual accolades.

Injuries have hindered Pedri’s career

Pedri made his breakthrough during the 2020-21 season, appearing in a staggering 52 matches at just 18 years old—more than experienced players like Antoine Griezmann, Frenkie de Jong, and even Messi that year.

However, his career has been hampered by recurring muscular injuries. According to Transfermarkt, Pedri has missed 87 games across club and national team commitments due to injury. Without these setbacks, he likely would have surpassed Bojan’s record and further solidified his place in Barcelona’s history books.