In this article, we look at 10 historical and statistical facts, which underline Messi’s greatness in world football.
1) The talisman has scored 303 goals for FC Barcelona overall in official matches and club friendlies as well.
2) The Argentinian star has a total of 319 official goals for both Barca and Argentina.
3) Leo scored a record 73 goals in the 2011/12 season.
4) The 25-year-old is the only player who has topped the UEFA Champions League’s goalscoring chart for 4 consecutive years.
5) Messi is also the youngest player to reach the 200-goal mark – officially breaking that barrier at the age of 24.
6) Along with retired Dutch footballer Ruud van Nistelrooy, Messi is the second-highest goalscorer in the UEFA Champions League finals, with 56 goals.
7) With 50 goals in the 2011/12 season and other goals in the ongoing term, La Pulga is one of La Liga’s 10 highest goalscorers in history.
8) Messi is the all-time leading goalscorer in FC Barcelona with 281 goals. Former player Cesar occupies the second position in the rankings with 232 goals.
9) Cristiano Ronaldo’s fiercest rival also happens to be the player with the best goalscoring rate in La Liga history, with a goal average of 0.84 per 90 minutes. Messi sits behind Athletic Bilbao legend Telmo Zarra, who earned an average of 0.90.
10) Messi is the only player who won the Ballon d’Or, FIFA World Player of the Year, Pichichi and Golden Boot awards in a single year, in football history. He made that achievement in the 2009/10 season.
