Everything Barca
Fansided

Lionel Messi edging closer to Pele on international record

By Nishant Narayanan

Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (2ndL) poses near Brazilian football legend Pele (C), Barcelona's Brazilian Dani Alves (L) and Santos FC' Brazilian forward Neymar (R) after receiving for the third time the FIFA Ballon d'Or award on January 9, 2012 at the Kongresshaus during the FIFA Ballon d'Or ceremony in Zurich. AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (2ndL) poses near Brazilian football legend Pele (C), Barcelona's Brazilian Dani Alves (L) and Santos FC' Brazilian forward Neymar (R) after receiving for the third time the FIFA Ballon d'Or award on January 9, 2012 at the Kongresshaus during the FIFA Ballon d'Or ceremony in Zurich. AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Lionel Messi chases Pele on both club and country records.

Lionel Messi and world records go hand in hand. He already holds the record for scoring the most number of goals in La Liga (445) and most number of goals in a single domestic plus European season (50). Now the Argentine is looking to break one more record and get another title under his belt. This time the player whose record he is about to break is widely regarded as the best player of all time, Pele.

More from Everything Barca

Argentina started their World Cup Qualifying season on Thursday with a win over Ecuador. Messi was the only contributor in the 1-0 win and his goal took his number of international goals to 71. The Argentine is now just seven goals away from breaking Pele’s record of top-scoring South American players. The Brazilian legend holds the record even after retirement with 77 goals but Messi is edging ever so close to break that record. The Argentine already overtook another Brazilian legend, Ronaldo, who had 62 goals. Neymar and Luis Suarez are the other two candidates in the race for the record with 61 and 60 goals scored respectively. However, it seems like Messi has pulled away in this race and will become the all-time highest scorer eventually by the end of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

The ex-Barcelona teammates are fighting for another record as well, the top scorer in South American World Cup Qualifiers. Luis Suarez holds the record currently with 22 goals but Messi is only one behind with 21. They have both overtaken legends like Hernan Crespo (19) and Marcelo Salas (18). Being ex-teammates and very good friends off the pitch this is an interesting rivalry going on at the moment which is almost like a friendly competition within themselves. However, neither would like to lose the competition and Messi will surely give it his all to try and bring yet another record under his name.

Next. why Manchester United failed to secure Barcelona superstar. dark

How many records will Messi break before retiring?

Home/FC Barcelona News