Messi magic wrapped up in facts and figures
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
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With Lionel Messi having made his 400th appearance for FC Barcelona on Wednesday, UEFA.com casts an eye over the remarkable facts and figures that underline his genius.
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With Lionel Messi having made his 400th appearance for FC Barcelona in all competitions on Wednesday, UEFA.com casts an eye over the phenomenal facts and figures that underline his genius.
Despite Messi being tipped for stardom from a ripe age, few could have predicted the earth-shattering impact he would have on world football since making his first-team bow aged 17 against RCD Espanyol on 16 October 2004. The diminutive forward, now 26, went on to feature nine times that season, opening his account for the Catalan club with a trademark lob at home to Albacete Balompié on 1 May 2005. Almost a decade later and the Argentinian international holds an unprecedented collection of honours, records and titles.
UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: 2006, 2009, 2011
UEFA Champions League leading scorer: 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12
UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011
UEFA Best Player in Europe: 2011
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2009
UEFA Club Forward of the Year: 2009
FIFA honours
FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011
FIFA Ballon d'Or: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Domestic honours
Spanish Liga: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
Copa del Rey: 2009, 2012
Spanish Super Cup: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
UEFA records
Goals in a European Cup campaign: 14 (shared with AC Milan's José Altafini)
Consecutive European Cup top scorer awards: 4
Goals in a UEFA Champions League game: 5 (v Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 2012)
UEFA Champions League hat-tricks: 5
Other records
Goals for club and country in a calendar year: 91
Goals in a Liga season: 50
Hat-tricks in a Liga season: 8
Away goals in the Spanish Liga: 100
Goals in Clásico matches: 18 (level with Alfredo Di Stéfano)
Consecutive Liga matches scored in: 21
Season by season
2004/05
Appearances: 9
Goals: 1
2005/06
Appearances: 25
Goals: 8
2006/07
Appearances: 36
Goals: 17
2007/08
Appearances: 40
Goals: 16
2008/09
Appearances: 51
Goals: 38
2009/10
Appearances: 53
Goals: 47
2010/11
Appearances: 55
Goals: 53
2011/12
Appearances: 60
Goals: 73
2012/13
Appearances: 50
Goals: 60
2013/14
Appearances: 21
Goals: 18
Total: 400 appearances, 331 goals