Lionel Messi is 30: Here are 30 incredible records the Barcelona superstar has broken in his career
Barcelona and Argentina superstar has won almost everything there is to win game — and is only now entering third decade
LIONEL MESSI turns 30 — and he’s done quite a lot in his first three decades.
The Argentine is considered by many to be the greatest footballer in the game’s history.
He made his professional debut in 2004 and has spent his entire career with Barcelona.
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Messi has won La Liga eight times, the Champions League four times, the Copa del Rey four times, the Fifa Club World Cup three times, the Uefa Super three times and the Spanish Super Cup six times — but none of those are actual records.
In on honour of the great man’s 30th, here are 30 records he does hold.
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1. Ballon d’Or — 5
Messi’s wins in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015 make him stand head and shoulders above the rest, but Ronaldo is expected to equal his tally in 2018.
2. Only player to score 40+ club goals in eight consecutive seasons
Yes, not since 2008-09 — when he managed 38 — has failed to hit 40. Since then, he’s scored 47, 53, 73, 60, 41, 58, 41 and 54 last season.
3. Only player to score in six different club competitions in one season twice
Messi netted in the Spanish Super Cup, La Liga, Uefa Super Cup, Champions League, Copa del Rey and Fifa Club World Cup in both 2011 and 2015.
4. Most appearances in Ballon d’Or top three — 10
Since 2007, Messi has made the top three of the most prestigious individual award in football.
5. Guiness World Record title for most official goals in calendar year — 91
Messi just kept on scoring 2012.
6. Only player to score at three Club World Cups — 2009, 2011 and 2015
You have to win the Champions League just to play in one and Messi has actually scored in three.
7. Most consecutive league matches scored in — 21 matches
Messi scored a staggering 33 goals during those games in 2013.
8. First footballer ever to score consecutively against all teams in a professional league
He met every single La Liga team in that run.
9. Most Fifa Club World Club Golden Balls — 2
He did it in 2009 and 2011, but it took five goals in two games for Luis Suarez to snatch it from him in 2015.
10. Only player to score 60+ goals in all competitions in consecutive seasons.
He did this in 2011-12 (73) and 2012-13 (60).
11 .Fastest player to reach 300 goals in Europe’s top five leagues — 334
Messi is now on 349 and that number will surge.
12. Youngest player to reach 100 appearances in the Champions League
He now has 115.
13. Youngest player to score 400+ goals for a single European club
He was 27 years and 300 years — and now has over 500.
14. Most league goals in a season — 50
Achieved in the famous 2011-12 campaign.
15. Most club goals scored in a season — 73
Still 2011-12.
16. Most club goals scored in a year — 79
Yep, 2012.
17. Only player to score in 23 different cities in the European Cup
No one is safe.
18. First player in La Liga to score at least twice in 100 games
These numbers can’t come about if he just stopped at one.
19. All-time top goal scorer for Barcelona — 535
Who knows where he’ll end up with.
20. Most free-kicks for Barcelona — 27
There is literally nothing he can’t do.
21. Most hat-tricks for Barcelona — 26
Did you think he’d stop at just two a game?
22. Most La Liga assists — 135
And did you think he just put the ball in the back of the net?
23. Best goal scoring ratio in La Liga season (at least 20 games played) — 1.44
Messi hit 46 in 32 in 2012-13.
24. Youngest player to score 250 La Liga goals — 27
And now he’s getting towards the 400 mark.
25. First Barcelona to surpass 30 league goals in two consecutive seasons.
His record was four in a row from 2009-10 to 2012-13.
26. First Barcelona player to surpass 50 goals a consecutive seasons.
He did it five campaigns in a row.
27. First Argentina player to score against every other CONMEBOL nation
Messi has netted past all nine continental rivals.
28. Argentina’s record goal scorer — 58
Messi overtook Gabriel Batistuta’s record of 54 at the Copa America Centenario.
29. Youngest Argentina player to score at a World Cup finals — 18 years and 357 days
Messi netted during the 6-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro in 2006.
30. Youngest player in CONMEBOL history to reach 100 caps — 27 years and 361 days
He has now represented his country 118 times.