Records Messi can break in 2020

Fresh off the back of a sixth Ballon d’Or, and surpassing generational rival Cristiano Ronaldo’s haul of France Football gongs awarded to the best player in the world, Lionel Messi will now look to better Pele.

While given his age, it is entirely impossible to better or even equal Pele’s haul of three World Cup titles, the Argentine can eclipse Pele’s goal-scoring record of notching the most number of goals while playing for a single club.

Between 1956 and 1974, Pele scored as many as 643 goals for Santos in Brazil. Messi, on the other hand, has 618 goals for Barcelona across competitions.

As put forward by SPORT, there are 19 La Liga games left to play in 2019/2020 in addition to at least two more Champions League outings, or seven if the Blaugrana go all the way to the final, two if they reach the Supercopa’s last dance and likewise six in the Copa del Rey. All in all, a potential 33 games for him to hit the landmark.

At the current rate that Messi is scoring them, though, it is entirely a case of when the captain will achieve the fate in 2020 rather than if should he put together another 50+ year.

There are a few more records that Messi can clinch in 2020:

16 - Lionel Messi scored in his 15th consecutive UEFA Champions League in the group stage of this season’s competition and with Barcelona all but set to feature in next year’s UCL as well, he will surely take that tally to 16. Currently, Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs holds the record of scoring in most UEFA Champions League campaigns with 16. Cristiano Ronaldo will also have the same opportunity next season.

8 - Both Messi and Ronaldo are joint leaders for the greatest number of hattricks in Champions League with eight trebles to their name. Both have the chance to rewrite the record books by hitting another hattrick.

7 - Messi will enter 2020 as the top goalscorer in La Liga with as many as 13 goals to his name. Real Madrid star Karim Benzema is hot on his heels, however, with 12 goals.

If the Argentine manages to maintain his lead, he will end up winning his seventh Pichichi award, given to the top La Liga goalscorer of every season. He will thus overtake Telmo Zarra, the legendary Athletic Bilbao forward, who won six Pichichi award in a glorious career.

43 – Messi already equaled the record set by Xavi Hernandez as the Barcelona player with most number of el clasico appearances (42) . He can eclipse Xavi if he plays one more game against Real Madrid.