Lionel Messi Wins Record 7th La Liga Golden Boot, Says 'Individual Achievements are Always Secondary'

Lionel Messi won a record seventh top scoring title in the Spanish league after netting twice in Barcelona's 5-0 rout of Alaves in the final round.Lionel Messi ended with 25 goals, four more than Karim Benzema, who did not score in Real Madrid's 2-2 draw at Leganes.

Messi is the first player to finish as the league's top scorer in seven different seasons. He reached the milestone despite missing games because of an injury early in the season. The Argentine's 25 goals came in 33 matches.

Messi was tied with Telmo Zarra with six scoring titles. He has also now equaled Hugo Sanchez's feat of four straight top-scorer trophies.

"Individual achievements are always secondary," Messi said on Sunday.

"I wished it could have come along with the league title."

Ansu Fati, Luis Suarez and Nelson Semedo also scored for Barcelona, which had already secured second place behind Madrid.

Fati opened the scoring in the 24th minute, Messi added to the lead 10 minutes later and Suarez closed the first-half scoring in the 44th. Semedo got on the board in the 57th and Messi in the 75th to help Barcelona rebound from a 2-1 home loss to Osasuna.

"Today things were different," Messi said.

Barcelona coach Quique Setien finished under pressure after the team relinquished a two-point lead over Madrid when the league resumed following the pandemic break. It was four points back before Madrid's match at Leganes.

Real Madrid drew with Leganes as the former were relegated.(With inputs from Agencies)