Ahead of the return of league football this weekend, data website Squawka has published statistics detailing the players who have scored the most goals from outside the penalty area across Europe's top five leagues over the last nine seasons.

The list is dominated by attacking legends and technical masters, with Lionel Messi leading the field by a massive margin, showcasing his unrivalled quality from distance.

Here are the top 10 players by goals scored from outside the box in the last nine seasons, including their total league appearances during that period:

1. Lionel Messi: 40 goals (in 196 appearances)

2. Kevin De Bruyne: 25 goals (in 232 appearances)

3. Kylian Mbappé: 24 goals (in 251 appearances)

4. Harry Kane: 23 goals (in 245 appearances)

5. Paulo Dybala: 21 goals (in 230 appearances)

6. James Maddison: 20 goals (in 222 appearances)

7. James Ward-Prowse: 20 goals (in 272 appearances)

8. Ruslan Malinovskyi: 19 goals (in 181 appearances)

9. Dries Mertens: 18 goals (in 163 appearances)

10. Memphis Depay: 18 goals (in 182 appearances)

Messi's tally of 40 long-range goals stands 15 clear of the nearest competitor, cementing his legacy as the premier long-distance threat in the decade.