Ranking Lionel Messi's top 5 worst calendar year performances
Unlike his rival Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi started off his career as a center forward. The same helped the Argentine gain more opportunities to find the back of the net compared to his Portuguese counterpart.
Even though Messi kept shuffling between being a winger and at the center of the park later in his career, his goal-scoring exploits continued.
Lionel Messi holds the record for the highest number of goals (91 goals in 2012) in a calendar year. The former Barcelona captain also has a record for most goals scored in a single season (50 goals in the 2011-12 La Liga season) under his name.
With so many seemingly unbreakable records under his belt, let's take a deep dive to see how Lionel Messi's numbers look at some of the lowest points of his career.
Ranking Lionel Messi's top 5 worst calendar year performances.
#5 2020 — 27 goals
The year 2020 was unique for Lionel Messi in many ways. After being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and matches within closed stadiums, little did La Pulga know it would be his final season with his boyhood club.
In a surprising turn around of events, the 2020-21 La Liga season was Lionel Messi's last season at the club where everyone, including him, believed he would be retiring. The year 2020 saw Lionel Messi net 27 goals for club and country. That is nearly half of his previous year's tally (50).
Despite enduring one of the most shocking moments of his life, Lionel Messi switched to French giants PSG for a lucrative deal. Messi is struggling in the French Ligue 1 right now but he continues to be on top in UCL outings.
Lionel Messi in tears as he says goodbye to Barcelona 🥺 https://t.co/El0MBEvOw8
#4 2008 — 22 goals
The year 2008 is special for both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. As it is the year the duo began their duopoly for the Ballon d'Or — the most revered individual accolade in football.
Cristiano Ronaldo bagged the 2008 Ballon d'Or award but that led to a spark which caused Lionel Messi to go on a spree from the following year itself. The Argentine won the award four years in a row between 2009 and 2012. He now has seven!
LIONEL MESSI WINS HIS SEVENTH BALLON D'OR 🐐 https://t.co/If0qQc7eVO
But before all this, Messi endured one of the lowest scoring years of his career in 2008. The PSG man had made 48 appearances for club and country that year. His outing with Albiceleste wasn't fruitful either. Leo Messi managed to score just two goals off eight games that year.