Joao Cancelo nears a landmark no player has achieved: LaLiga glory would seal the deal

Joao Cancelo is on the brink of making soccer history with Barcelona, who are all but certain to be crowned LaLiga champions ahead of Real Madrid this season.

If and when the Catalans secure their second straight domestic title, the Portuguese fullback will become the first player to win each of Europe’s top four major leagues.

From Valencia to Juventus: where it started

After making his name with Valencia between 2014 and 2018, Cancelo moved to Juventus for the 2018-19 season, where he won Serie A, the first league title of his career.

That move marked the start of a remarkable journey across Europe’s elite clubs, with trophies following him almost everywhere he went.

Manchester City and key role under Guardiola

Once his career comes to an end, Cancelo will perhaps be most associated with Manchester City, where he became a key player under Pep Guardiola, particularly during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

In England, he added significantly to his honors list, lifting the Premier League trophy three times during his spell at the Etihad Stadium.

Loan spells and a Bundesliga title

However, a falling out with Guardiola saw Cancelo loaned out twice. The first move was to Bayern Munich for the final four months of the 2022-23 season, where he won the Bundesliga.

He then spent the entire 2023-24 campaign on loan at Barcelona, a difficult period in which he failed to win silverware as the club struggled for consistency.

His future at the top level in Europe appeared uncertain after he signed for Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in the summer of 2024, before a surprise return to Barça on loan in January this season.

When will Barcelona win the LaLiga title?

Barça will secure the LaLiga title this weekend if they defeat Osasuna on Saturday and Real Madrid drop points away to Espanyol on Sunday.

Alternatively, they could be crowned champions next weekend by winning El Clásico against Real Madrid on May 10, regardless of results beforehand.

Cancelo will make history. It is now just a matter of when.

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