Lionel Messi’s lifetime success story in the round-leather game needs no introduction. From his immense talents that caused rivals to nod their heads with envy, to his embarrassment of laurels in his trophy cabinet, the Argentine As Argentina and Inter Miami skipper completes football. As the former PSG and Barcelona star basks in the euphoria of his 38th birthday today, David Meshioye beams a searchlight into the legacy of a football genius, and his top seven records that may never be broken by any footballer.
1: Most capped Argentine player with 195 and counting
Lionel Messi has featured for the Albiceleste in a record 195 times to overtake his Inter Miami gaffer, Javier Mascherano, as the most capped Argentine player. There is even the possibility of hitting the 200 mark if his recent performance at the FIFA Club World Cup is anything to go by. His number of caps may never be matched by any Argentine player.
2. Most La Liga goals and assists for a single club
The Argentine still holds the record as the only player with more La Liga goals and assists to date. It is on record that the former Barcelona star has notched 672 goals for a single club while his arch rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, has 311 La Liga goals for Real Madrid. The former PSG forward also proved that he is not only good at scoring goals, but he is also capable of providing defence-wrecking passes that made scoring easy for teammates, with a record 192 La Liga assists till date.
3. 50 goals in La Liga season
Messi still holds the record as the only player to have scored 50 goals in a single La Liga season to date. His 50 goals in the 2011/12 season will surely stand the test of time, and the likes of Lamine Yamal will have to dig deeper into his technical books of tricks to overrun that record.
4. Most European Golden Shoes with 6
The Argentine skipper proved why he is the most consistent player with goal scoring when he won six European Golden Shoes. He won the last three European Goaledor Award consecutively in Barcelona’s colours, and that record is still out of the reach of many strikers in Europe.
5. Record 37 club honours
Lionel Messi’s immense talent not only earned him plaudits, but he has 37 club honours to show for it. There was a time he said he was planning to expand his trophy cabinet because the old cabinet could no longer offer space for more laurels. From domestic titles to international trophies, his silverware haul is incomparable.
6.80 Champions League Group stage goals
If there is one record that may never be matched in this modern era of football, it is Messi’s record 80 goals scored by a player in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. With Cristiano Ronaldo scoring 67, Messi’s ingenuity in European top-tier football competition makes the record most likely impossible to break
7. Most decorated player in history with 45
He is the most decorated player in the history of professional football having won 45 team trophies, including twelve Big Five league titles, four UEFA Champions Leagues, two Copa Américas, and one FIFA World Cup.
8. 8 Ballon d’Or
Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or a record eight times. He won the award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
From TheGuardian Digital team, we say happy birthday to Lionel Messi.
