Chukwueze equals Messi's record, enters elite LaLiga company

Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze continues to win plaudits for his spectacular performance that saw him score twice at the Santiago Bernabeu to earn Villarreal a 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in LaLiga. 

His performance was one for the ages, and already put him on the same pedestal as some of LaLiga’s most prominent figures in recent history like Uruguayan forward Diego Forlan who was the last player to score a brace for the Yellow Submarine at the Bernabeu. 

During the game, he matched a feat done by another LaLiga great, Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest player to feature in the league, as he became the first player to complete as many as seven dribbles away to Real Madrid in a competitive fixture. 

Chukwueze’s seven completed take-ons from eight attempts matched Messi’s seven completed take-ons from 11 attempts registered in April 2017. 

A further look at Chukwueze’s performance in the context of this season shows that he has been one of the most prolific players after carrying the ball as the Nigerian forward stands out among ball carriers this season with the level of end product his dribbles have produced. 

Chukwueze ranks second behind only Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior for the number of direct goal contributions registered following a ball carry in 2022/23 in all competitions. 

Vinicius has registered 13 goal contributions (8G, 5A) after a run with the ball, while Chukwueze has registered 12 (4G, 8A), eclipsing Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele, who has a total of 8 (3G, 5A). 

Chukwueze has vowed to continue improving his game, even in the face of an outstanding display at the Bernabeu, and with an attitude like that, the 23-year-old Super Eagles star could be headed for the top and could be in line to devour even more superstar records.