Major Milestones For Modest Magician Messi
10 December 2012
The plaudits are raining in for Lionel Messi, after another memorable night of milestones for the peerless Barcelona phenomenon.
Messi’s brace in Barca’s 2-1 win over Real Betis took him to 23 La Liga goals this season, and there is no telling how many he will finally notch before the end of the 2012-13 campaign.
But football fans need not wait until the end of the season to see La Pulga Atomica re-write the history books.
His two goals last night took him past Cesar Rodriguez as Barca’s all-time top goalscorer with 192.
And he has now scored 86 goals in the calendar year, two more than Gerd Muller’s previous 40-year-old record.
After Messi left a mark on football that may never be erased, his team-mate Gerard Pique showered him with the kind of praise he has become accustomed to.
"Leo is supernatural," Pique said.
"He doesn't have limits. We'll always have to remember everything he gave us. We have to enjoy every minute we have with him."
Barca manager Tito Vilanova was equally effusive.
"It seems impossible to score so many goals, let's hope he can add to the record in the games to come," said Vilanova.
"He is still young and gives us so much, even tonight he helped us out defensively when we needed it, he has so many more qualities than just his goals."
Messi meanwhile, was typically low key regarding his own spectacular feats.
The little superstar reiterated his belief that helping Barca win more titles is his raison d'être, and that shattering the foundational records of football is just an occupational hazard for him.
"I've said it a lot, it's nice to beat records but the win for the team is what is important and the points difference at the top," said Messi.
"My goals are to win titles with the team, the Spanish league, Spanish Cup or Champions League is more important than any personal records. My objective at the start of the season was to win another La Liga title."
Messi even went so far as to nominate his Barca team-mate Andres Iniesta as the most worthy winner of the upcoming Ballon d’Or award.
Although now that he has scored more goals during the year under Ballon d’Or consideration than any other individual player in history, perhaps La Pulga Atomica is being excessively humble this time.
"If Iniesta wins [the Ballon d’Or], it will be well-deserved for all that he has done, for the way he plays. Again, it will also be a prize for the dressing room," he said.
comments
Half of Messi goals also don't count since they were spoonfed by Xaviesta and assisted by the referee. This is the last response you are getting from me young boy wongama. I can already tell your age by your name calling response to my post. You have also been barred from commenting on my posts.
Submitted by: lalo
Date: 12 December 2012, Time: 21:48:25
Lalo u r stl openning a tin on worms? Can u reason? I doubt. This chitilalo is like Pele who claimed to hv scored 150 goals in one year. Fifa doesn't care. They wl prove to u and yo co-friends that half of those goals do not count. Ok?
Submitted by: wongama
Date: 12 December 2012, Time: 07:12:15
Godfrey Chitalu has scored 107 goals meaning Messi's thing is not a record at all. Shame Messi fans who were starting to get overexcited.
Submitted by: lalo
Date: 11 December 2012, Time: 20:49:05
Godfrey chitalu
Submitted by: LEEROY246
Date: 11 December 2012, Time: 13:50:24
Goal.com's Robin Bairner suggested: "Tonight the debate should be: who is the second best in the world? [Cristiano] Ronaldo or [Radamel] Falcao? Outstanding from Messi."
Submitted by: Mjak8
Date: 11 December 2012, Time: 11:29:18
Goal.com had this to say; "It's official: Lionel Messi is now the greatest goalscorer the game has even seen - and probably the finest footballer in history, too. We have never seen his like before - and we may never witness such a tremendous talent again."
Submitted by: Mjak8
Date: 11 December 2012, Time: 11:20:36
Lol..k no coment
Submitted by: aramiz
Date: 11 December 2012, Time: 11:07:56
@Aramiz ur eyes can read tank u..we knw da headline..sme of us hv run out of da words 2discribe Leo..we hv bn talkin abt him 4da last 5mounths n his records breaking..so discussing other tings da concern barca i dont c a problem wit dat. if u wanted 2 discuss wit us u were welcome..it was an open discussion 4 Cules.cause talkin abt da same ting it becomes boring @tyms..bt if u tink we we shd apply 4barca Tv den its an hounor cause it means ur minds a filled wt ideas.
Submitted by: barca_4sky
Date: 11 December 2012, Time: 10:17:30
Dis is nt bwt tello or neymar pls! If u guys wana be barca marketn directors go apply 4 a post!
Submitted by: aramiz
Date: 11 December 2012, Time: 10:12:19
@vyzouw owk..u cant compare dem cause Neymar is clearly a better pleya by a distance infact..he offers many tings on da field..Skill,imagination,movement,fear factor frm da opposition,Goalz,extment,..while Tello offers pace n goalz..&Neymar is nt yet in his prime bt we can c already dat he got someting special..&i said yestdae Messi can guide him just lyk Dinho did 2 leo..Neymar addors Leo so plyn 2gether wod nt b a problem@all..&we did nt say Tello must b da 1 to lv i said he wod b da 1 to sit on da bench..
Submitted by: barca_4sky
Date: 11 December 2012, Time: 09:42:36