LIONEL MESSI is close to breaking yet another record.
The Barcelona hitman must be getting tired of making history. He can’t seem to score these days without breaking some kind of record.
There won’t be any space on his ever-burgeoning mantelpiece — no matter how big his house is — for this.
But three goals against Sampdoria on Wednesday will see him overtake Juan Manuel Asensi, Txiki Begiritain and Hristo Stoichkov (all on seven) as the top goal scorer ever in the friendly Joan Gamper trophy.
The pre-season clash has been played in every summer since 1966 — and Messi is tied with Johan Neeskens and Hans Krankl on five.
Of course, a hat-trick is often regarded a campaign-high performance for most footballers.
But, with five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi, it’s almost expected.
As the 29-year-old prepares to make history — of sorts — SunSport look back all the records he currently holds.
Given just how many there are, we’ll even split them into global, continental, national, international and club achievements.
World Records
- Only player to win the Fifa Ballon d’Or on five occasions — and only man to win three consecutive editions.
- Most appearances in top three candidates of Ballon d’Or (nine times: 2007-2015)
- Youngest player to win the Ballon d’Or three times (24 years, six months and 17 days)
- Only player to score 40+ goals in SEVEN consecutive seasons — (only three players have done this in the entire Premier League era)
- Only player to score in six different club competitions on two occasions (2011 and 2015)
- Most official goals (91) in a calendar year — in 2012
- Most consecutive league matches with a goal (33 goals in 21 games)
- First player to score in consecutive matches against every opponent in a professional league.
- Most Fifa Club World Cup Golden Balls (two: 2009 and 2011)
European Records
- Most goals (9) against one single Champions League opponent — Arsenal
- Fastest player to reach 300 goals in Europe’s top five leagues — 334 games
- Youngest player to make 100 Champions League appearances
- Youngest player to score 400 goals for a single European club (27 years and 300 days)
- Most league goals scored in a single season in Europe’s top five leagues (50)
- Most club goals scored in a single season (73)
- Most club goals scored in a single year (79)
- Only player to score in 23 different cities in European Cup/Champions League
- Only player to finish as Champions League top goal scorer in four consecutive seasons
- Only player to win Uefa Best Player Award twice
Spanish records
- La Liga’s top goal scorer of all time (348)
- Most goals in a Liga season (50)
- Most goals in a Liga calendar year (59)
- Youngest player to score 200 La Liga goals — 25
- Youngest player to score 250 La Liga goals
- Most assists in La Liga — 126
- Only player in La Liga history to score two or more hat-tricks in seven consecutive seasons
- Only player in La Liga history to score 20+ goals in eight different seasons
- Only player to score in five Spanish Super Cup editions — 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015
- Most goals in Spanish Super Cup games — 11
- Most away goals in La Liga history
- Top goal scorer over a season in home games with 46 in 2011-12
- Top goal scorer over a season in away games with 24 in 2012-13
- Top goal scorer in second half of a league season with 28 in 2011-12
- Most home league matches scored in in a single season — netting in 16 in 2011-12
- Most away league matches scored in in a single season — netting in 15 in 2012-13
- Most consecutive away matches scored in — 20 goals in 13 matches in 2012-13
- Most goals scored in El Clasico matches — 21
- Most hat-tricks in El Clasico matches — 2
Barcelona records
- All-time top goal scorer — 481
- Top goal scorer in European competitions — 86
- Top goal scorer in international competitions — 88
- Most official hat-tricks — 35
- Most La Liga hat-tricks — 26
- Most hat-tricks in a single Liga season — 8
- Most goals in a single Champions League season — 14
- Most goals in a Catalan derby (against Espanyol) — 12
- First player to be La Liga top goal scorer three times — 3
- Only player to have scored and assisted in six different official competitions in one season — Copa del Rey, La Liga, Champions League, Spanish Super Cup, Uefa Super Cup and Fifa World Club Cup, completed on January 12, 2012)
- First player to surpass 30 league goals in two consecutive seasons — has now done it in eight successive campaigns
- First player to win two European Golden Shoes — now has three
- First player to net 50 goals in one season — he then did it three times in a row
- First player to net 50 goals in one season four times
Argentina records
- All-time top goal scorer — 55
- Most hat-tricks — 4
- First to score against all other South American countries
- Most goals in friendlies — 24
- Most goals in one World Cup qualifying campaign — 10
- Youngest to have scored at a World Cup finals — 18 years, 357 days old v Serbia and Montenegro in 2006
- Youngest player to reach 100 caps in South American football history — 27 years, 361 days old
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