Dest's La Liga Brace

 On This Day in 2021, the Fullback Scored Twice in the League Before Scoring His First International Goal Four Days Later

When Barcelona signed Sergino Dest from Ajax for €21 million in October 2020, the American defender quickly began collecting historic firsts. He became the first American to appear for Barcelona in La Liga, coming on as a substitute for Jordi Alba in a 1-1 draw against Sevilla. Later that month, he made history again as the first American to feature in El Clásico against Real Madrid. By November, he had notched another milestone, becoming the first American to score for Barcelona when he found the net in a Champions League victory over Dynamo Kyiv.

But Ronald Koeman's tactical shift to a 3-4-3 formation in early 2021 unleashed Dest's potential. Playing as a wingback rather than a traditional right-back gave the Dutch American more freedom to surge forward, and on March 21, he made his most emphatic statement yet in Barcelona's colors.

In a crucial match at Real Sociedad, with Barcelona chasing league leaders Atletico Madrid, Dest broke through for his first La Liga goal in the 43rd minute. The sequence began with Lionel Messi weaving through the Sociedad defense before finding Dest on the right wing, where the American confidently finished to give Barcelona a 2-0 lead. Just ten minutes after the break, Dest struck again, making a well-timed run into the box to meet a cross for an easy finish at the far post.

The brace was historic - Dest became the first American to score multiple goals in a La Liga match. His performance helped power Barcelona to a commanding 6-1 victory that kept them within four points of Atletico Madrid with ten games remaining in the season.

"It's incredible, we won 1-6, now we have to keep going this way," Dest said after the match. "I'm very happy about the two goals and for being able to help the team. This system suits me very well." The 20-year-old's adaptation to the wingback role highlighted Koeman's tactical acumen, giving Barcelona additional attacking thrust while maintaining defensive stability.

Dest's scoring form continued on international duty four days later, this time from an unfamiliar position. Playing left back for the United States against Jamaica, he cut inside from the wing after 34 minutes and rifled home his first international goal to spark a 4-1 American victory. The strike demonstrated his growing confidence and tactical flexibility - qualities that suggested Barcelona's investment in the young American was beginning to pay significant dividends.

Dest's journey from Almere City to Ajax's youth academy at age 12 to this scoring outburst in Spain represented a remarkable evolution. The son of a Dutch mother and American father had transformed from a promising fullback to a genuine two-way threat, capable of influencing matches at the highest level of club and international football.