On the eve of one of NASA's biggest ever discoveries in which they discovered seven exoplanets that could house extra-terrestrial life or could one-day play host to a human civilisation, we're yet to uncover which corner of the known universe Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo hail from.
The Barcelona and Real Madrid strikers have made footballers look like petty jokes when compared to them. They do things with the ball others can only dream of and that's a direct quote from the FIFA series of computer games – which in reality is the best way to describe just how these two play the sport.
Also Read: 5 negative aspects of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo playing in the same team
But, for all that they've achieved at both club and national level, there's still a few records that they are yet to force their names into. Here's looking at five of those records they can break realistically before they retire:
#5 Most goals in a single La Liga game – 7 goals
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have destroyed multiple goal-scoring records in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League but here's one record that still stands – 86 years after it was first set in the Spanish top division.
Having witnessed Real Madrid destroy Rayo Vallecano 10-2 last season and Cristiano Ronaldo's prowess of having scored five goals on two separate occasions, it's a mystery how these two are yet to break the record for most number of goals in a single La Liga game.
Athletic Bilbao's Agustin Sauto scored seven goals in one game back in 1931 – a feat that was then repeated in 1952 by Barcelona's Laszlo Kubala. Ronaldo has come closest to levelling this feat while Lionel Messi’s highest in a single game is only four goals.
#4 Most goals in a single European season – 18 goals
Radamel Falcao pretty much rolled out the red carpet to his services when he banged in eighteen goals in a single European season back in 2010/11. Still an FC Porto striker back then, the Colombian set the record – although it was in the UEFA Europa League.
That’s still the European record, but, Ronaldo fans, here’s something that will bring a smile to your face: the Portuguese forward has the record for the most number of goals in the UEFA Champions League having scored seventeen goals in the 2013/14 season.
Lionel Messi has managed to score ‘only’ fourteen goals in a single European season and that came back in 2011/12. If there’s any current superstar who could break Falcao’s European record, it’s one of these two gentlemen.
#3 Most Pichichi trophies – Six
Both Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi have won the famed Pichichi trophy three times each but the honour for the most number goes to Telmo Zarra – the former La Liga scoring record-holder – who’s won it six times in total.
The Argentine is leading the race in the current campaign – as of late February 2017 – with 19 goals in the La Liga. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, has 15 in the league. Unless Luis Suarez, who’s on 18, spoils the party, one of these two strikers are likely to win the Pichichi trophy once again meaning they’ll get closer to that six-time record.
There have been three other La Liga stars who have won the famed trophy five times each: Alfredo Di Stefano, Quini and Hugo Sanchez. Messi and Ronaldo could definitely catch up to this record within the next two-three years. And then possibly one of them could go on to break the record.
#2 Consecutive four-goal scoring games in La Liga – Luis Suarez
It’s incredible to think one of these two is yet to break this record, set only recently, though. Barcelona’s Luis Suarez achieved the feat of scoring four goals in consecutive La Liga games against Sporting Gijon and Deportivo La Coruna in the 2015/16 season.
Cristiano Ronaldo has come tantalisingly close to this feat having scored four goals in a game and then a hat-trick in the next. And he’s achieved this 4-3 combination twice. Lionel Messi is yet to get on the same playing field but if there’s anyone who wants to break a record, it’s the little Argentine.
And now, with the divide between the La Liga seemingly reducing, they’ll have to move quickly if they’re to break the Uruguayan’s record.
#1 Oldest goalscorers in the UEFA Champions League group stage and finals – two different records – 38 years 59 days and 36 years 333 days, respectively
AC Milan’s Paolo Maldini is the oldest player to score in the finals of a UEFA Champions League – aged 36 years 333 days – when he famously scored past Liverpool in the 2005 finals. Meanwhile, another Italian, Francesco Totti is the oldest goalscorer in the group stages having done so aged 38 years 59 days.
For Cristiano Ronaldo to break the record of being the oldest one in the final, he’s only going to get the chance in the 2021/22 final, should his then-club qualify. Messi will have the chance only in the 2023/24 final and that, too, only if it's before 23rd May. If its post the date, he'll have to wait another year.
For Ronaldo to break the oldest group-stage scorer record, he has to score in the UEFA Champions League after 1st April 2023. Similarly, Messi has to score after 22nd August 2025.
