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The greatest player to have played the game of football, Lionel Messi celebrates his 34th birthday today.
The Barcelona superstar is still going strong and is regarded as one of the best players in the world. He is Barcelona's greatest ever player, their talisman and their captain. It is likely that Lionel Messi will sign a new contract with the club, ending months of speculation about his future.
Lionel Messi, at 34, has achieved every possible feat in football. He is an incredible role model for young kids, someone with other-worldly talent who still had to struggle to reach the very top.
Lionel Messi's 5 greatest records that may never be broken
#5 Most goals in a calendar year
Lionel Messi has been a prolific goalscorer throughout his career, but in 2012 he attained a new level in the art of goalscoring.
The Argentine superstar scored an astounding 91 goals that year, surpassing Gerd Muller's long-standing record of 85. He was in stunning form for Barcelona and Argentina during that period of time, consistently finding the net and redefining the word "world-class".
Lionel Messi scored 73 goals in all competitions for Barcelona during the 2011-12 season, and scored 60 in all competitions the season after. These are extraordinary numbers and unlikely to be repeated again by a mortal.
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#4 Most goals in La Liga
La Liga were blessed to have two superstars in the form of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo playing in the Spanish top flight for a sustained period of time.
Ronaldo's departure has seen the focus on Lionel Messi increase even more, if that is possible. The forward is a legendary figure in Spain, and that is highlighted even more by his numbers. Lionel Messi is the all-time top goalscorer in La Liga.
The 34-year old has scored 474 league goals in 520 appearances. Cristiano Ronaldo is a distant second, with 311 goals in 292 appearances. With Lionel Messi likely to sign a new contract with Barcelona, the all-time goalscorer record in La Liga might never be broken again.
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#3 Most hat-tricks in La Liga
Scoring a single goal is tough enough, but to score three goals in a game and to do that on a regular basis is a sign of divine talent.
Lionel Messi has scored 36 hat-tricks in La Liga, the most in the league's history. Cristiano Ronaldo is 2nd with 34, but the Portuguese superstar is unlikely to return to Spain from Juventus. The only player currently playing in La Liga and on the top 12 list is Luis Suarez, who has 10 hat-tricks to his name.
Lionel Messi is a gifted player, and has constantly been Barcelona's saviour, especially in recent years. The Argentine looks set to score more hat-tricks in the Spanish top flight in the near future, and nobody is near enough to catch him.
#2 Most goals by a player for a single club
Last year, Lionel Messi surpassed the legendary Pele to become the player with the most goals for a single club.
Lionel Messi has scored 672 goals in 778 appearances in all competitions, while Pele scored 643 goals for Santos during his spell with the Brazilian club. There is some dispute as to how many official goals Pele scored for Santos, but it would be fair to say that Messi's genius has been recorded forever in the history books.
The Argentine is not slowing down, and clearly has a lot to offer Barcelona at the highest level. It will be interesting to see if there are any players who could ever replicate, let alone outperform, what Messi has done and is doing with Barcelona.
#1 Most appearances for Barcelona
Lionel Messi is now the player with the most appearances for Barcelona, having made 520 appearances in the league and 778 in all competitions.
The diminutive forward overtook Xavi to become the outright holder of this record. Xavi, who is also regarded as a Barcelona legend and played for a long time with Lionel Messi, made 505 league appearances and 767 appearances in all competitions for the La Liga giants.
To play so many games indicates excellent physical and mental condition, as well as world-class quality. Lionel Messi still has years left in his legs, and could very well make 1000 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona.
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