5 records that prove Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer of all time
Lionel Messi shocked the world a few months ago when he announced that he would be parting ways with FC Barcelona. La Pulga had spent his entire career with the Blaugrana, contributing hundreds of goals and winning several trophies along the way.
Lionel Messi has been among the top two players in the world for the last decade and a half. His displays on the football field have led many to believe that he is not only the best player of his generation but the greatest of all time.
Lionel Messi has broken several records
Lionel Messi holds the following La Liga records:
Most goals (474)
Most goals in a season (50)
Most direct free kick goals (50)
Most assists (217)
Most assists in a season (22)
Most hat tricks (36)
Most hat tricks in a season (8) https://t.co/vztBMBfEX8
The former Barcelona talisman has broken innumerable records and will continue to do so during his playing career. Records and statistics are vital when debating about the best player of all time. Here are five records that make the case for Lionel Messi to be the GOAT:
#5 Only footballer to win four prestigious individual awards in a single season
Yes, you read that right! Lionel Messi achieved the unthinkable and bagged four eminent individual awards in the same season. The Argentine won the Ballon d’Or, Golden Boot, FIFA World Player and Pichichi Trophy in the 2009-10 campaign.
Leo Messi is the only Player in History to win all 4 Awards in the same season.
🔮 Ballon D'or
🏅 FIFA Player of the Year
🥇 League Top Scorer - Pichichi
⚽ European Golden Boot
2009/10 Season. 🐐 https://t.co/fxHJRM8ylB
During that season, Lionel Messi scored 34 goals in 35 league appearances. Moreover, he scored eight goals in 11 UEFA Champions League matches. These honors couldn’t have come at a better time as Barcelona had just won the sextuple under Pep Guardiola.
One of his standout performances in 2010 came against Arsenal in the Champions League, when he scored four goals. It forced Arsene Wenger to shower the magician with heaps of praise:
"Messi is the best player in the world by some distance. He's like a PlayStation. He can take advantage of every mistake we make."
#4 Most goals for a single club
It’s astonishing how such a record features so low on this list. Lionel Messi broke Brazilian legend Pele’s record of most goals for a single club in 2020. To celebrate the occasion, Budweiser sent personalized beer bottles to every goalkeeper whom Lionel Messi has scored against.
Leo Messi's 644 official goals for Barcelona, a world record for eternity https://t.co/xxuDOckdFx
Pele had scored 643 goals in 659 appearances for Santos. However, Messi overtook him with a strike against Real Valladolid last season. Overall, Lionel Messi aggregated 672 strikes in 778 matches for FC Barcelona.
Messi will not be able to add to his 672 goals following his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain. However, it is safe to say that it will take a monumental effort to topple or even come close to this record.