Gerard Piqué, 600 games for FC Barcelona
Gerard Piqué, who recently overcame Carles Puyol, to become the player with the fourth most appearances for Barça, set a new landmark against Osasuna on Sunday when he played his 600th competitive match for the team.
A life in blaugrana
The breakdown of his 600 games since making his debut in 2008 is as follows:
Wins: 410
Draws: 116
Defeats: 73
Liga: 387
Champions League: 122
Copa del Rey: 65
Spanish Super Cup: 16
Club World Cup: 5
Spanish Super Cup: 2
Europa League: 3
Piqué’s titles
Liga: 8
Champions League: 3
Copa del Rey: 7
Spanish Super Cup: 6
Club World Cup: 3
Spanish Super Cup: 3
In total, that’s 30 titles in 14 seasons, a tally only topped at FC Barcelona by Leo Messi (35) and Andrés Iniesta (32) and equalled by his team-mate Sergio Busquets (30)
Net collector
Piqué is also famed for his ritual, inspired by NBA champions, of taking home a part of the goal net after winning major titles.
His most recent opportunity to do so was at La Cartuja last season after the 4-0 defeat of Athletic Club in the final. It was special occasion for him as he had just missed six weeks of football through injury.
Goal-scoring defender
“I’ve always said that if I’d been a striker, I’d have scored 15 goals a season” he said after contributing a goal to the win at Napoli a few weeks ago.
Indeed, his total return of 53 goals in his 600 games is a more than worthy number for a centre back. 16 of those have been in the Champions League, a record for a defender that he shares with Roberto Carlos.
One of his most famous goals was his very first in La Liga. It was the sixth and final Barça goal in that unforgettable win at the Santiago Bernabéu. His celebrations produced one of the most iconic images in the club’s recent history.