Fermín López serves the goal at the table of the greats

His records place him among the most productive midfielders of the 21st century, and it doesn´t seem like an exaggeration. Those 40 million euros that Chelsea would have been willing to pay for him in the summer now sound like a real bargain.

An elite goal average

With just 95 matches played and 24 goals scored with the first team of Barça —adding up to a total of 4,358 minutes on the field—, Fermín averages a goal every 181 minutes. In other words, he scores practically every two matches, an impressive figure for a player who does not act as a forward. The comparison with the big names of the past further reflects his impact. Frank Lampard, considered one of the most goal-scoring midfielders in history, needed 906 matches to reach 273 goals, which is equivalent to one every 266 minutes. Steven Gerrard, emblem of Liverpool, signed 191 goals in 749 matches (one every 318 minutes). Further back are Paul Scholes, with 155 goals in 716 matches, and more recently, Bruno Fernandes, with 188 goals in 600 matches, averaging a goal every 236 minutes. Even players with offensive vocation, like Kaká (191 goals in 614 matches) or Marco Reus (248 in 667), do not reach the effectiveness of the Huelva native.

A revealing comparison

The difference is striking: while Reus or Fernandes need more than 200 minutes per goal, Fermín scores in less than 182. In simple terms, the Barça academy player scores more frequently than any of them throughout his entire career.

A "one club man" with star numbers

And there is one detail that makes his numbers even more valuable. The records of those great players encompass all stages of their professional careers, including different clubs and contexts. In contrast, Fermín´s statistics correspond solely to his matches with the first team of FC Barcelona. This multiplies the merit of his performance: the young academy player is achieving elite figures at the highest level, defending a club of enormous demands and at just 21 years old. Moreover, many of those references played closer to the opponent´s area, while Fermín starts from the interior zone, in an environment of maximum competitive pressure.

Instinct, precision, and character

The midfielder stands out not only for his goal-scoring ability but also for his timing to appear at the right moment and his precision in striking. His arrival from the second line, his coolness in finishing, and his decision-making set him apart. In the Champions League, he demonstrated this again with three goals full of intuition and class, the kind of goals that mark the careers of midfielders destined to leave a mark.

The new member of the table of the greats

The numbers back up his performance, but his competitive mentality is what solidifies it. Fermín plays with personality, steps into the area with determination, and has earned, through his own merits, a place at the same table as Lampard, Gerrard, Kaká, Ballack, or Reus. And the most surprising thing: he hasn´t needed years to earn his spot. With less than a hundred matches, Fermín López already serves the goal at the table of the greats.