Should Messi Return to Barcelona?
Bakhann Prom
2023-05-30
About This Project
As the 2022/2023 season approaches its conclusion, it has been
confirmed that Lionel Messi will be leaving Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
and has yet to decide on his next club for the 2023/2024 season.
Excitingly, there are rumors circulating that Messi might make a return
to his beloved home club, FC Barcelona. As an ardent FC Barcelona fan,
witnessing Messi donning the blaugrana shirt once again before his
retirement would be a dream come true. This project aims to utilize data
spanning from 05/01/2005 to 04/03/2023 to delve into Messi’s illustrious
career and determine the potential impact he could have on Barcelona FC
if he were to return.
Data :
Code :
Background
Lionel Andrés Messi is an Argentine professional footballer, and with the World Cup 2022 vicotry, he is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina.
Messi’s career took off when he joined the youth academy of FC Barcelona, La Masia, at the age of 13. He quickly progressed through the ranks and made his first-team debut for Barcelona in 2004 at the age of 17. Since then, Messi has become synonymous with Barcelona and has spent the majority of his professional career with the club.
During his time at Barcelona, Messi achieved remarkable success, helping the team win numerous domestic and international titles. He played a pivotal role in Barcelona’s golden era under coach Pep Guardiola, where they won multiple La Liga titles and the UEFA Champions League.
In August 2021, Messi left Barcelona due to financial constraints faced by the club. He joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France, where he continued to showcase his brilliance on the field. However, rumors have circulated that Messi might return to Barcelona for the 2023/2024 season, which has generated excitement among Barcelona fans and football enthusiasts worldwide.
As Messi ponders his next move in the football world, fans eagerly await his decision and the possibility of witnessing him return to Barcelona, where he made an indelible mark on the club’s history.
Analysis
Summary Statistics
head(messi)## Season Competition Matchday Date Venue Club
## 1 04/05 LaLiga 34 05/01/05 H FC Barcelona
## 2 05/06 UEFA Champions League Group Stage 11/02/05 H FC Barcelona
## 3 05/06 LaLiga 13 11/27/05 H FC Barcelona
## 4 05/06 LaLiga 19 1/15/06 H FC Barcelona
## 5 05/06 LaLiga 20 1/22/06 H FC Barcelona
## 6 05/06 LaLiga 21 1/29/06 A FC Barcelona
## Opponent Result Playing_Position Minute At_score
## 1 Albacete Balompie 2:00 CF 90+1 2:00
## 2 Panathinaikos Athens 5:00 RW 34 3:00
## 3 Racing Santander 4:01 RW 51 2:00
## 4 Athletic Bilbao 2:01 RW 50 2:01
## 5 Deportivo Alaves 2:00 CF 82 2:00
## 6 RCD Mallorca 0:03 CF 75 0:02
## Type Goal_assist date position
## 1 Left-footed shot Ronaldinho Gaacho 2005-05-01 CF
## 2 Left-footed shot 2005-11-02 RW
## 3 Left-footed shot Samuel Etoo 2005-11-27 RW
## 4 Left-footed shot Mark van Bommel 2006-01-15 RW
## 5 Left-footed shot Ronaldinho Gaacho 2006-01-22 CF
## 6 Right-footed shot Sylvinho 2006-01-29 CFstr(messi)## 'data.frame': 704 obs. of 15 variables:
## $ Season : chr "04/05" "05/06" "05/06" "05/06" ...
## $ Competition : chr "LaLiga" "UEFA Champions League" "LaLiga" "LaLiga" ...
## $ Matchday : chr "34" "Group Stage" "13" "19" ...
## $ Date : chr "05/01/05" "11/02/05" "11/27/05" "1/15/06" ...
## $ Venue : chr "H" "H" "H" "H" ...
## $ Club : chr "FC Barcelona" "FC Barcelona" "FC Barcelona" "FC Barcelona" ...
## $ Opponent : chr "Albacete Balompie" "Panathinaikos Athens" "Racing Santander" "Athletic Bilbao" ...
## $ Result : chr "2:00" "5:00" "4:01" "2:01" ...
## $ Playing_Position: chr "CF" "RW" "RW" "RW" ...
## $ Minute : chr "90+1" "34" "51" "50" ...
## $ At_score : chr "2:00" "3:00" "2:00" "2:01" ...
## $ Type : chr "Left-footed shot" "Left-footed shot" "Left-footed shot" "Left-footed shot" ...
## $ Goal_assist : chr "Ronaldinho Gaacho" "" "Samuel Etoo" "Mark van Bommel" ...
## $ date : Date, format: "2005-05-01" "2005-11-02" ...
## $ position : chr "CF" "RW" "RW" "RW" ...summary(messi)## Season Competition Matchday Date
## Length:704 Length:704 Length:704 Length:704
## Class :character Class :character Class :character Class :character
## Mode :character Mode :character Mode :character Mode :character
##
##
##
## Venue Club Opponent Result
## Length:704 Length:704 Length:704 Length:704
## Class :character Class :character Class :character Class :character
## Mode :character Mode :character Mode :character Mode :character
##
##
##
## Playing_Position Minute At_score Type
## Length:704 Length:704 Length:704 Length:704
## Class :character Class :character Class :character Class :character
## Mode :character Mode :character Mode :character Mode :character
##
##
##
## Goal_assist date position
## Length:704 Min. :2005-05-01 Length:704
## Class :character 1st Qu.:2011-04-21 Class :character
## Mode :character Median :2014-04-23 Mode :character
## Mean :2014-08-23
## 3rd Qu.:2018-01-11
## Max. :2023-03-04Messi’s Preferred Positions and Scoring Type
Figure 1 illustrates Lionel Messi’s preferred
positions in football. According to the data, his favorite positions are
central forward (CF) and right wing (RW). He has scored 316 goals as a
CF and 316 goals as a RW. However, Messi has also displayed his
versatility by playing in other positions, including second striker
(SS): 55 goals, attacking midfielder (AM): 16 goals, and left wing (LW):
1 goals.
On the other hand, Figure 2 provides
insights into the types of goals Messi has scored throughout his career.
The majority of his goals (436) have been scored using his left foot,
which is expected as he is predominantly left-footed. This dominance in
left-footed goals is represented by the Left-footed shot category.
However, it is worth noting that Messi has also demonstrated his ability
to score using other methods, as depicted in Figure 2
Messi’s Goal Scoring Record & Impact
As mentioned in the Background, Messi started his first team
debut in 2004 so it is not surprised that he only scored 1 goal.
However, as time progress, he has made significant impact to the team
scoring more than 30 goals consecutively since 08/09 season as shown in
Figure 3 before moving to PSG (indicated by vertical
red line). He also holds the record for the most goals scored in LaLiga
with 474 goals, Figure 4. Beside the domestic league,La
Liga and Ligue 1, Figure 4 also shows the importance of
Messi to the team scoring in other competitions.
To further dissect his goal-scoring ability, Figure
5 indicates that Messi has contributed to the team’s success in
various competitions other than the domestic leagues. These competitions
differ from the domestic league in the sense that they are bracketed,
meaning that each goal becomes even more vital to the team’s advancement
to different stages.
Goals Against Top 10 Teams
Messi has consistently performed at the highest level against top
clubs. Figure 6 showcases his goals against the top 10
teams, including Atletico de Madrid, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Manchester
City, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Chelsea FC,
Juventus FC, Liverpool FC. The figure provides insight into Messi’s
ability to rise to the occasion and score against formidable opponents.
Goal Distribution by Time
Figure 7 displays the distribution of Messi’s
goals based on the time of occurrence during matches. The chart
categorizes goals into “First Half,” “Second Half,” and “Extra Time.”
This analysis helps us understand when Messi tends to be most effective
in finding the back of the net. The pie chart demonstrates the
percentage distribution of goals across these time categories.
Conclusion
Based on the comprehensive analysis of Messi’s career, it becomes clear that his potential return to Barcelona FC would have a profound and positive impact on the team. Messi’s versatility, exceptional goal-scoring ability, and remarkable performances against top-tier opponents make him an invaluable asset for the club. Furthermore, his contributions extend beyond the domestic league, with significant successes in various competitions.
Considering Messi’s legendary status and the deep connection he shares with Barcelona FC, witnessing him once again donning the blaugrana shirt would be a dream come true for fans. His presence on the field would not only elevate the team’s performance but also inspire and motivate his fellow teammates.
If Messi decides to rejoin Barcelona FC for the 2023/2024 season, it would mark a momentous chapter in the club’s history and undoubtedly enhance their prospects for future success. The anticipation and excitement surrounding his potential return reflect the enduring impact he has had on Barcelona FC and the game of football as a whole.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to return to Barcelona is up to Messi. He will need to weigh up the pros and cons carefully before making a decision. However, if he does decide to return, it would be a major coup for the club.